Depth-resolved birefringence and differential optical axis orientation measurements using fiber-based polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography

Shuguang Guo,Zhongping Chen,J Stuart Nelson,Woonggyu Jung,Lei Wang,Jun Zhang

doi:10.1117/12.529667

Abstract

Conventional polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) can provide depth-resolved Stokes parameter measurements of light reflected from turbid media. A new algorithm, which takes into account changes in optical axis, is introduced to give depth-resolved birefringence and differential optical axis orientation images using fiber-based PS-OCT. Quaternion, a convenient mathematical tool, is used to represent an optical element and simplify the algorithm. Experimental results with beef tendon and rabbit tendon and muscle show that this technique has promising potential for imaging the birefringent structure of multiple-layer samples with varying optical axes.

Highlights

Optical coherence tomography (OCT), a noninvasive imaging technique for turbid media, uses coherence gating of the light source to obtain two- or three-dimensional images [1]
Polarization-sensitive OCT (PS-OCT) can provide additional information on the changes in light polarization states caused by birefringence, diattenuation of the sample or both [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]
We present a new algorithm with a fiber-based PS-OCT system, which can resolve the problem when the optical axis changes as a function of depth and the polarization state changes within the fiber

Summary

Introduction

Optical coherence tomography (OCT), a noninvasive imaging technique for turbid media, uses coherence gating of the light source to obtain two- or three-dimensional images [1]. Conventional PS-OCT gives the overall phase retardation image, based on the assumption that the optical axis remains constant, as do the four Stokes parameter images of turbid media [4, 6,7,8] These images represent accumulated birefringence effects and do not represent the local structure of the sample. Jiao et al developed differential phase retardation imaging to determine birefringence structure by calculating the absolute value of the retardation difference between a given pixel and its adjacent pixel along the same longitudinal scan line [10] This algorithm is restricted by the assumption of a constant optical axis in the sample under study. The birefringence and differential optical axis orientation images, which are calculated from PS-OCT measurements using this algorithm, will be used to provide additional contrast for tissue structure

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion