Evaluating the benefits of using balance detection in fourier domain optical coherence tomography

A Fourier domain optical coherence tomography system equipped with two spectrometers in balance detection is presented. The set-up was successfully used in reducing the autocorrelation terms and fixed pattern noise. It is concluded that balance detection performs better than single camera techniques, is more tolerant to movement, exhibits longer-term stability and can operate dynamically in real time. The cameras used here exhibit a saturation power larger than the power threshold where excess photon noise exceeds shot noise. We demonstrate that balance detection can reduce the noise in real time operation, in comparison with single camera configurations. However, simple deduction of an average spectrum in single camera configurations provides less noise than the balance detection. © OSA-2013 SPIE.