Rapid depth scanning optical imaging device
US6687010B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 7, 2000 |
| Grant date | Feb 3, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 7, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B2290/70
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical imaging device includes a reference scanning unit offering a high signal-to-noise ratio and capable of scanning an object rapidly. An interference optical system can be realized inexpensively. In the optical imaging device, low coherent light passed through an optical coupler and another optical coupler, irradiated from an optical scanner probe, reflected from an observed point in a living tissue, returned to the optical coupler, propagated over a fourth SM optical fiber, and routed to another optical coupler shall be referred to as sample light. Light passed through an optical length variation optical system via the optical coupler and routed to the optical coupler shall be referred to as reference light. At this time, a difference between a delay time undergone by the sample light and a delay time undergone by the reference light is proportional to a difference between an optical length for the sample light and an optical length for the reference light. When the optical length difference falls within a coherence length, the sample light and reference light interfere with each other. An interfering signal is acquired into a computer through detectors, a differential amp…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.