For three-dimensional imaging, an object is illuminated at a plurality of illumination angles. A detector detects a plurality of images (51-53) of the object for the plurality of illumination angles. An electronic processing device processes the plurality of images (51-53) in order to reconstruct three-dimensional information of the object (57).

Systems and methods for sub-aperture correlation based wavefront measurement in a thick sample and correction as a post processing technique for interferometric imaging to achieve near diffraction limited resolution are described. Theory, simulation and experimental results are presented for the case of full field interference microscopy. The inventive technique can be applied to any coherent interferometric imaging technique and does not require knowledge of any system parameters. In one embodiment of the present application, a fast and simple way to correct for defocus aberration is described. A variety of applications for the method are presented.

Disclosed herein are optical integration technologies, designs, systems and methods directed toward Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and other interferometric optical sensor, ranging, and imaging systems wherein such systems, methods and structures employ tunable optical sources, coherent detection and other structures on a single or multichip monolithic integration. In contrast to contemporary, prior-art OCT systems and structures that employ simple, miniature optical bench technology using small optical components positioned on a substrate, systems and methods according to the present disclosure employ one or more photonic integrated circuits (PICs), use swept-source techniques, and employ a widely tunable optical source(s). In another embodiment the system uses an optical photonic phased array. The phase array can be a static phased array to eliminate or augment the lens that couples light to and from a sample of interest or can be static and use a spectrally dispersive antenna and a tunable source to perform angular sweeping. The phased array can be active in 1 or 2 dimensions so as to scan the light beam in angle. The phased array can also adjust focus. The phased array can implement an optical waveform that will extend depth of field focus for imaging. The phase array can also be a separate standalone element that is fed by one or more optical fibers. The phased array can be for scanning a biomedical specimen used in conjunction with a swept-source OCT system, can be used in a free-space coherent optical communication system for beam pointing or tracking, used in LIDAR applications, or many other beam control or beam steering applications.

The present application in some embodiments relates to methods for reducing noise and/or clutter when measuring a spectrum, particularly but not only for OCT imaging. In some embodiments a light source is synchronized with a detector. For example a narrow band light source is synchronized with a narrow band detector. For example, the light source may scan over multiple frequency bands and/or the detector may be tuned to a frequency band synergetic to the band of the light source. For example the light source and detector may be tuned to overlapping narrow bands. Optionally the detector has a sensor set for each frequency band. Optionally some sensor sets are individually resettable. For example each set may have a reset circuit. For example, a sensor set for a band not currently being measured is deactivated.

Proposed are a three-dimensional (3D) optical tomography method and apparatus using a partially coherent light and a multi-illumination pattern. The 3D optical diffraction tomography method based on low coherence light and a multi-illumination pattern using a 3D optical diffraction tomography apparatus may include making light incident on a sample using a plurality of patterns, measuring, by an image measurement unit, different locations at different depth locations of the sample and measuring two-dimensional (2D) images of the sample, and reconstructing 3D refractive index information of the sample based on the different patterns and the 2D images obtained at the different depth locations.

In a measurement by means of OCT, when dispersion is present in a measured target or an optical system in the vicinity of the measured target, resolution of the measurement is degraded. One spectral interference fringe intensity is acquired when a phase difference between measurement light and reference light is not introduced, two spectral interference fringe intensities are acquired in a time-series manner when a phase difference of π is introduced, a required calculation is performed based on the intensity, and a tomographic image not having reduced resolution due to dispersion is acquired.

A tomographic imaging system receives measurements at a set of frequencies of a wavefield scattered by an internal structure of an object, recursively reconstructs an image of the internal structure of the object until a termination condition is met, and renders the reconstructed image. For a current iteration, the system adds a frequency to a previous set of frequencies used during a previous iteration to produce a current set of frequencies, such that the added frequency is higher than any frequency in the previous set of frequencies, and reconstructs a current image of the internal structure of the object that minimizes a difference between a portion of the scattered wavefield measured at the current set of frequencies and a wavefield synthetized from the current image. A previous image determined during the previous iteration initializes the reconstruction of the current image.

An optical coherence tomography apparatus includes a branching and merging device that branches a light beam emitted from a wavelength sweeping laser light source into an object light beam and a reference light beam, a balanced photodetector that generates information about a change in an intensity ratio of interference light beams, which are generated by the interference between the object light beam and the reference light beam, wherein the object light beam is scattered from the measurement object after being transmitted through the transparent substrate including a structure that changes a thickness, and a control unit that acquires structural data of the measurement object in a depth direction based on the information about the change in the intensity ratio of the interference light beams and connects the structural data while moving an irradiation position of the object light beam with a position of the above structure as a reference.

A tomographic imaging device includes a light source, a light pulse generator, a wave shaper, a splitter, a frequency shifter, a light path length changer, an optical detector, filters, a demodulator and an analyzer. The light pulse generator generates an optical pulse train from an output of the light source. The wave shaper modulates the optical pulse train by binary phase shift keying with PN codes. The splitter splits the pulse train into two signals, one is shifted by the frequency shifter, and one has a path length changed by the light path length changer. The optical detector inputs back scattered light from an object and the signal whose length has changed, and generates a difference signal. The filters filter the difference signals, and the demodulator demodulates the filter outputs. The analyzer calculates a reflection site of the measurement object by analyzing the output signal of the demodulator.

Systems and methods of using the same for functional fluorescence imaging of live cells in suspension with isotropic three dimensional (3D) diffraction-limited spatial resolution are disclosed. The method-live cell computed tomography (LCCT)-involves the acquisition of a series of two dimensional (2D) pseudo-projection images from different perspectives of the cell that rotates around an axis that is perpendicular to the optical axis of the imaging system. The volumetric image of the cell is then tomographically reconstructed.