High-resolution optical coherence tomography using a multi-level diffractive lens

Abstract

We present a high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging system that utilizes a multi-level diffractive lens (MDL) to enhance lateral resolution. The system utilizes a polygon-based swept laser source with a center wavelength of 1,000 nm to achieve an axial resolution of 5.6 µm and an imaging depth of 1.4 mm using the bidirectional configuration of a semiconductor optical amplifier. The MDL significantly enhances the lateral resolution of the system, providing an extended depth of focus of 550 µm with an average lateral resolution of 8.5 µm. The effectiveness of this setup is validated through imaging of phantom and onion samples, demonstrating the system's capability for high-resolution deep tissue imaging. These findings underscore the potential of compact MDLs to significantly enhance the performance of OCT systems, offering a promising direction for advanced high-resolution imaging applications.