In one embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) in a laser ring is chosen to provide low polarization-dependent gain (PDG) and a booster semiconductor optical amplifier, outside of the ring, is chosen to provide high polarization-dependent gain. The use of a semiconductor optical amplifier with low polarization-dependent gain nearly eliminates variations in the polarization state of the light at the output of the laser, but does not eliminate the intra-sweep variations in the polarization state at the output of the laser, which can degrade the performance of the SS-OCT system.

Improved optical coherence tomography systems and methods to measure retinal data are presented. The systems may be compact, provide in-home monitoring, and have automation to allow the patient to measure himself or herself.

System and methods for Light Detecting and Ranging (LIDAR) are disclosed. The LIDAR system includes a light source that is configured project a beam at various wavelengths toward a wavelength dispersive element. The wavelength dispersive element is configured to receive the beam and direct at least a portion of the beam into a field of view (FOV) at an angle dependent on frequency. The system also includes a detector that is positioned to receive portions of the beam reflected from an object within the FOV and a processor that is configured to control the light source and determine a velocity of the object.

A system includes a first optical unit that emits light to a measurement target object and receives first interference light incident from the measurement target object, a second optical unit that emits the light to a reference object configured to have a constant optical path length with respect to a temperature fluctuation and receives second interference light incident from the reference object, a spectroscope connected to the first optical unit and the second optical unit and receives the first interference light and the second interference light to be incident, and a control unit connected to the spectroscope, and the control unit calculates a fluctuation rate of a measurement optical path length with respect to a reference optical path length under a predetermined temperature environment on the basis of the optical path length of the reference object calculated on the basis of the second interference light incident on the spectroscope under the predetermined temperature environment, and the reference optical path length of the reference object acquired in advance, and corrects, on the basis of the fluctuation rate, the optical path length of the measurement target object calculated on the basis of the first interference light incident on the spectroscope under the predetermined temperature environment.

A wavelength-swept light source projects a light beam. An interferometer includes a splitting unit that splits the light beam projected from the wavelength-swept light source into light beams radiated toward a plurality of spots on a measurement target. Each of the interference beam is generated by interference between a measurement beam radiated toward the measurement target and reflected at the measurement beam, and a reference beam passing through an optical path that is at least partially different from an optical path of the measurement beam. A light-receiving unit receives the interference beams from the interferometer. A processor calculates distance to the measurement target by associating a detected peak of the interference beams with one of the spots. The optical path length difference between the measurement target and the reference beam is made different among the light beams split in correspondence with the plurality of spots.

A light source projects a light beam. An interferometer includes a splitting unit that splits the light beam. The interferometer generates interference beams with the respective split light beams. Each of the interference beam is generated by interference between a measurement beam radiated toward the measurement target and reflected at the measurement beam and a reference beam passing through an optical path. A light-receiving unit receives the interference beams. A processor calculates a distance to the measurement target by associating at least one detected peak with at least one of the spots in accordance with a mirror surface mode or a rough surface mode. The optical path length difference is made different among the split light beams. In the mirror surface mode, the processor uses a distance calculated based on a peak corresponding to a spot for which the optical path length difference is shortest.

A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system includes a LIDAR measurement unit, a reference measurement unit, and a phase cancellation unit. The LIDAR measurement unit estimates a time for which a laser beam travels. The reference measurement unit determines a phase of a laser source. The phase cancellation unit identifies phase noise and cancels the phase noise from the laser beam, at least partially based on the phase of the laser source and the time for which the laser beam travels. The denoised signal is used to determine the range between a laser source and a target.

The present invention provides a reflective condensing interferometer for focusing on a preset focus. The reflective condensing interferometer includes a concave mirror set, a convex mirror, a light splitting element, and a reflecting element. The concave mirror set has first and second concave surface portions which are oppositely located on two sides of a central axis passing through the preset focus and are concave on a surface facing the central axis and the preset focus. Light is preset to be incident in parallel to the central axis in use. The convex mirror is disposed between the concave mirror set and the preset focus on the central axis, and is convex away from the preset focus. The light splitting element vertically intersects with the central axis between the convex mirror and the preset focus. The reflecting element is disposed between the light splitting element and the convex mirror.

A system and method are provided for optical homodyne detection in an optical fiber interferometer. A detection signal is obtained by interfering an optical data signal with a phase-modulated optical reference signal. The modulator for the optical reference signal is phase-locked to an oscillatory modulation waveform. In embodiments, the modulator includes a piezoelectric element. In more specific embodiments, the modulator is a piezoelectric optical fiber-stretcher.

A method for measuring the surface topography of an object including the following steps: a) providing source radiation and dividing the source radiation into illumination radiation and reference radiation, b) illuminating the surface of the object with illumination radiation in a planar illumination field, the surface of the object being illuminated simultaneously with more than one spatial radiation mode and the radiation modes of the illumination being spatially and temporally coherent, but with a fixed phase difference from one another, and c) overlaying the reference radiation on illumination radiation back-scattered at the surface of the object, and detecting an interference signal of the overlaid radiation with a detector. Steps a) to c) are carried out for at least two different, fixed wavelengths. The surface topography of the object is determined by means of digital holography.