Fiber-based polarization-sensitive Mueller-matrix optical coherence tomography with continuous source polarization modulation

Abstract

A novel fiber-based Mueller-matrix optical coherence tomography system is demonstrated for acquiring polarization images of biological tissues in vivo. The system features a single broadband source, a rapid scanning optical delay line, and an electro-optical polarization modulator that modulates the polarization states of the source light continuously. A frame of a 200 by 1515 pixel 2D image can be acquired in half a second. The Jones matrix of a sample is calculated from two frequency components--the A-scan carrier frequency component and the beat frequency component between the modulation frequency and the carrier frequency. For samples having negligible diattenuation, the Jones matrix can be calculated from a single measurement of either the horizontal or the vertical interference signal. The system was first validated by imaging standard polarization elements and then applied to imaging biological samples.

Files

Additional details