Wavelength-tunable broadband frequency-domain OCT source based on spatially filtered sub-10-fs pulsed laser

Abstract

A wavelength swept broadband source based on a sub-10-femtosecond (fs) pulse laser and a spatial filtering method was developed for the application to frequency-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT). The use of the sub-10-fs laser with a galvano scanner operating at a high repetition rate provided a fast tunable broadband light source, which tuned the spectral component across the spectral bandwidth of 1.10 nm at 1-kHz repetition rate. The spectrally filtered light beam had 0.5-nm instantaneous spectral linewidths at 1-mW average output power. The implemented FD-OCT system clearly imaged a narrow air gap between glass plates, with an axial resolution of 5 pm, which proved a potential for the application of a short pulse laser source to the FD-OCT system. The proposed wavelength swept source scheme can secure mode-hopping-free operation at fast tuning speed, which could be applicable for the FD-OCT system properly.