Mode-locked solid state laser sources for optical coherence tomography

Brett E. Bouma; Guillermo J. Tearney M.D.; Stephen A. Boppart; Boris Golubovic; Igor P. Bilinsky; Mark E. Brezinski; James G. Fujimoto

doi:10.1117/12.274320

22 May 1997 Mode-locked solid state laser sources for optical coherence tomography

Brett E. Bouma, Guillermo J. Tearney M.D., Stephen A. Boppart, Boris Golubovic, Igor P. Bilinsky, Mark E. Brezinski, James G. Fujimoto

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 2981, Coherence Domain Optical Methods in Biomedical Science and Clinical Applications; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.274320
Event: BiOS '97, Part of Photonics West, 1997, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

A high speed technique for performing 'optical biopsies,' or optical diagnostic imaging of in vivo tissue architectural morphology, would greatly enhance the diagnosis and clinical management of many diseases. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel optical imaging technique that uses low coherence interferometry to obtain micron scale, cross- sectional images of biological systems. OCT was initially applied in ophthalmology to provide high resolution, cross sectional, tomographic images of the transparent structures in the eye and clinical studies show that OCT has considerable promise for the diagnosis of a wide range of retinal macular diseases. OCT imaging in other human tissues is more difficult due to optical scattering. However, recent in vitro studies have shown that OCT can image architectural morphology in highly optically scattering tissues. One of the key technological issues for OCT in optical biopsy is the development of low coherence laser sources. Essential attributes of a clinically viable light source for OCT include high single-transverse-mode power, short coherence length, and a central wavelength optimal for deep penetration within human tissue. Passively mode locked solid state lasers based on Ti:Al₂O₃ and Cr:Mg₂SiO₄ are capable of providing hundreds of milliwatts of single-transverse mode light with coherence lengths as short as 1.8 microns. We present recent developments in the optimization of mode locked solid state lasers for application to OCT and demonstrate the resulting capability to enable fast acquisition of high resolution tomographic images.

Citation Download Citation

Brett E. Bouma, Guillermo J. Tearney M.D., Stephen A. Boppart, Boris Golubovic, Igor P. Bilinsky, Mark E. Brezinski, and James G. Fujimoto "Mode-locked solid state laser sources for optical coherence tomography", Proc. SPIE 2981, Coherence Domain Optical Methods in Biomedical Science and Clinical Applications, (22 May 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.274320

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available