A high-resolution handheld OCT imaging system related to the optical imaging field solves the issues of handheld OCT systems with low resolution and the inability to measure the skin's stratum corneum thickness accurately. Through adopting the visible wavelength band of supercontinuum laser as the light source, mainly applying reflectors instead of lenses in the OCT system, and replacing fiber propagation with optical propagation in free space in the interference optical paths, to significantly reduce dispersion loss in the axial resolution and improve the axial resolution of OCT systems. The filter, attenuator, grating, camera, and other components are separated from the handheld module through modular design to reduce the handheld terminal's size and weight and realize the system construction. The invention improves the axial resolution, obtains the thickness information of whole-body skin's stratum corneum, and provides technical approaches for skin diagnosis and related medicine development.

Embodiments herein described using a matched filter in a measurement device that includes an atomic sensor with a co-sensor. In one embodiment, the matched filter is a non-causal filter. Embodiments herein also describe a method for producing a matched filter by determining a filter transfer function from the transfer functions of the atomic sensor and the co-sensor. The method can be used to produce a matched filter that is non-causal but can also generate a causal filter for time sensitive applications.

Embodiments herein described using a matched filter in a measurement device that includes an atomic sensor with a co-sensor. In one embodiment, the matched filter is a non-causal filter. Embodiments herein also describe a method for producing a matched filter by determining a filter transfer function from the transfer functions of the atomic sensor and the co-sensor. The method can be used to produce a matched filter that is non-causal but can also generate a causal filter for time sensitive applications.

An optical coherence tomographic imager for contributing reduction of the number of man-hours for evaluation to obtain a wavelength sweeping operation of continuous, linear, and monotonic change while utilizing a wavelength-tunable laser having a structure that is less susceptible to mechanical disturbance. The optical coherence tomographic imager includes a wavelength-tunable light source, a branching means, an irradiation means, a photoelectric conversion measuring means, and a processor. The wavelength-tunable light source outputs light whose wavelength is determined by a plurality of light source drive parameters. The branching means branches output light of the wavelength-tunable light source into object light and reference light. The irradiation means irradiates an object to be measured with the object light. The photoelectric conversion measuring means obtains interference light intensity measurement values by causing object light scattered from the object to be measured and the reference light to interfere with each other and to be guided to a light receiver. The processor reorders the interference light intensity measurement values based on the output light wavelengths.

A laser device includes a laser configured to generate laser light and a laser control module configured to receive at least a portion of the laser light generated by the laser, to generate a control signal and to feed the control signal back to the laser for stabilizing the frequency, wherein the laser control module includes a tunable frequency discriminating element which is preferably continuously frequency tunable, and where the laser control module is placed outside the laser cavity.

According to embodiments of the present invention, an optical imaging device is provided. The optical imaging device includes an optics arrangement configured to generate an extended-source illumination pattern including a plurality of separate spectral bands, and to illuminate a respective section of a sample to be imaged with a respective spectral band of the plurality of separate spectral bands, wherein the optics arrangement is further configured to form an interference signal from a sample light comprising respective return lights from respective sections of the sample illuminated by respective spectral bands of the extended-source illumination pattern, and a reference light, and a detector configured to receive the interference signal for generating an image corresponding to the sections of the sample. According to further embodiments of the present invention, a method for imaging a sample and a method for generating an image are also provided.

A swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) apparatus includes a wavelength-tunable light source, and a first optical coupler configured to split an output of the wavelength-tunable light source into a reference light beam and a sample light beam. The SS-OCT apparatus includes a sample illumination section configured to illuminate a sample using the sample beam, and receive a backscattered sample light beam. The SS-OCT apparatus includes a second optical coupler configured to receive the reference light beam and the backscattered sample light beam, and output an optical interference signal. The SS-OCT apparatus includes a detector configured to convert the optical interference signal to an electrical interference signal. The SS-OCT apparatus includes a controller configured to receive the electrical interference signal, generate a sparse representation based on the received electrical signal using compressed sensing, and generate a depth profile of the sample based on the sparse representation.

A microstructured optical fiber for generating supercontinuum light. The optical fiber includes a core and a cladding region surrounding the core. The optical fiber includes a first fiber length section, a second fiber length section as well as an intermediate fiber length section between said first and second fiber length sections. The first fiber length section has a core with a first characteristic core diameter larger than about 7 ?m. The second fiber length section has a core with a second characteristic core diameter, smaller than said first characteristic core diameter. The intermediate length section of the optical fiber includes a core which is tapered from said first characteristic core diameter to the second characteristic core diameter over a tapered length. Also, a supercontinuum light source including an optical fiber and a pump light source.

A method including: scanning a sample over a period of time using an electro-magnetic radiation source, the period of time including a first time period and a second time period, a sample portion of the electro-magnetic radiation source being directed to the sample in a sample arm of an optical interferometric system, and a reference portion of the electro-magnetic radiation source being directed to a reference arm of the optical interferometric system; applying, using a phase modulator, a phase shift comprising a first phase shift and a second phase shift to at least one of the reference portion or the sample portion of the electro-magnetic radiation source, the first phase shift being applied during the first time period and the second phase shift being applied during the second time period, the second phase shift having a difference of 90 degrees from the first phase shift.

A method for monitoring optical fiber temperature includes heating an optical fiber using a heat source, and measuring an infrared radiation level emitted by an optical fiber during heating of the optical fiber. The method further includes comparing the infrared radiation level to a radiation level setpoint for the optical fiber to determine a radiation level error value. The method further includes adjusting a power level setpoint of the heat source based on the radiation level error value.