Open AccessEn-face scanning optical coherence tomography with ultra-high resolution for material investigation
Author(s) -
Karin Wiesauer,
Michael Pircher,
Erich Götzinger,
Siegfried Bauer,
Rainer Engelke,
Gisela Ahrens,
Gabi Grützner,
Christoph K. Hitzenberger,
David Stifter
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.13.001015
Subject(s) - optical coherence tomography , optics , materials science , heterodyne (poetry) , image resolution , heterodyne detection , resolution (logic) , coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) , laser , physics , computer science , acoustics , artificial intelligence , quantum mechanics
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an emerging technique for cross-sectional imaging, originally developed for biological structures. When OCT is employed for material investigation, high-resolution and short measurement times are required, and for many applications, only transversal (en-face) scans yield substantial information which cannot be obtained from cross-sectional images oriented perpendicularly to the sample surface alone. In this work, we combine transversal with ultra-high resolution OCT: a broadband femto-second laser is used as a light source in combination with acousto-optic modulators for heterodyne signal generation and detection. With our setup we are able to scan areas as large as 3 x 3 mm2 with a sensitivity of 100 dB, representing areas 100 times larger compared to other high-resolution en-face OCT systems (full field). We demonstrate the benefits of en-face scanning for different applications in materials investigation.