A hollow core, concentrically symmetric, beam splitting, Michaelson interferometer for common-path, Fourier-domain Optical Coherence Tomography has been demonstrated and analyzed. The key component of the system is a compact, small diameter probe composed of a collimating lens, hollow core beam splitting tube, and a focusing lens. The beam splitting tube is created by sputter coating the distal endface of a finely polished thick wall capillary tube with a highly reflective gold layer. Light from a coherent source is coupled into the tube. Part of the light travels through the wall of the tube is reflected by the distal endface forming a reference arm and part passes through the hollow core to be backscattered by the sample material forming a sample arm. To demonstrate the functionality and utility of the probe, cross-sectional and volumetric images of various samples have been obtained. Some advantages of this system include a small probe diameter and an easily adjustable working distance.
- Common path,
- Concentric,
- Endoscopic,
- Fourier-domain,
- Hollow,
- In-axis,
- OCT,
- Gold coatings,
- Interferometers,
- Optical tomography,
- Probes,
- Tubes (components)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jie-huang/30/