Polarization-sensitive plug-in optical module for a Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography system

Marques, M.J. and Rivet, Sylvain and Bradu, Adrian and Podoleanu, Adrian G.H. (2017) Polarization-sensitive plug-in optical module for a Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography system. In: Fujimoto, James G. and Izatt, Joseph A. and Tuchin, Valery V., eds. Proceedings of SPIE. Optical Coherence Tomography and Coherence Domain Optical Methods in Biomedicine XXI, 100531R. Proceedings of SPIE, 10053. SPIE Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers ISBN 978-1-5106-0547-3. (doi:https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2254832) (Full text available)

Abstract

In this manuscript we communicate a theoretical study on a plug-in optical module to be used within a Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography system (FD-OCT). The module can be inserted between the object under investigation and any single-mode fiber based FD-OCT imaging instrument, enabling the latter to carry out polarization measurements on the former. Similarly to our previous communication this is an active module which requires two sequential steps to perform a polarization measurement. Alternating between the two steps is achieved by changing the value of the retardance produced by two electro-optic polarization modulators, which together behave as a polarization state rotator. By combining the rotation of the polarization state with a projection against a linear polarizer it is possible to ensure that the polarization measurements are free from any undesirable polarization effects caused by the birefringence in the collecting fiber and diattenuation in the fiber-based couplers employed in the system. Unlike our previous work, though, this module adopts an in-line configuration, employing a Faraday rotator to ensure a non-reciprocal behavior between the forward and backward propagation paths.

Item Type:	Conference or workshop item (Proceeding)
Subjects:	Q Science > QC Physics > QC355 Optics
Divisions:	Faculties > Sciences > School of Physical Sciences Faculties > Sciences > School of Physical Sciences > Applied Optics Group
Depositing User:	Manuel Jorge Marques
Date Deposited:	21 Feb 2017 10:05 UTC
Last Modified:	08 Jun 2017 08:52 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/60495 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)