Optical beam controller and optical interference tomographic imaging device using same

Abstract

An optical beam controller includes: an optical multiple-beam generator generating a plurality of wavelength-swept optical beams; and an optical frequency difference setter setting an optical frequency difference in any combination of the plurality of optical beams in such a way as to be larger than a band of a photodetector that receives an optical beam.

Claims

1. An optical interference tomographic imaging device comprising: a multiple-beam generator configured to generate a plurality of wavelength-swept optical beams; an optical frequency difference setter configured to set an optical frequency difference in any combination of the plurality of wavelength-swept optical beams in such a way as to be larger than a band of a photodetector; an optical beam controller including an irradiation optical system configured to irradiate the plurality of wavelength-swept optical beams at different positions of an object to be measured by the optical interference tomographic imaging device, respectively; a branching device configured to branch a plurality of optical beams from the optical beam controller into a plurality of object light beams and a plurality of reference light beams; an interferer configured to interfere an object light scattered by the object with a reference light, first circulators connected to outputs of the branching device; an irradiation optical unit that irradiates the object to be measured with the object light from the first circulators; a branching-merging device to which the object light scattered by the object to be measured is input via the first circulators; second circulators connected to the outputs of the branching device: a reference light mirror to be irradiated with the plurality of reference light beams from the second circulators; and the photodetector which receives interference light generated by the scattered object light and the reference light reflected from the reference light mirror interfering with each other at the branching-merging device, wherein an optical path length of the object light from the branching device to the interferer and an optical path length of the reference light from the branching device to the interferer are equal.

2. The optical interference tomographic imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the optical frequency difference setter includes a delay device that generates a time difference among the plurality of optical beams output from the splitter, the time difference set in such a way that the optical frequency difference in any combination of the plurality of optical beams is larger than the band of the photodetector.

3. The optical interference tomographic imaging device according to claim 1, wherein a wavelength of wavelength-swept optical beam changes linearly with respect to time while the wavelength is swept.

4. The optical interference tomographic imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation optical system comprises a plurality of optical switches and collimators which correspond to the optical switches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration according to a first example embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a characteristic of an optical beam controller according to the first example embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration according to a second example embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration according to a third example embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration according to a fourth example embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical beam controller according to a fifth example embodiment of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical interference tomographic imaging device in PTL 2.

EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT

First Example Embodiment

(8) The following describes a first example embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an optical beam controller and an optical interference tomographic imaging device using the same, based on an SS-OCT method according to the first example embodiment.

(9) A wavelength-sweep light source 31 (hereinafter, abbreviated as a light source 31) is a laser that emits light while sweeping a wavelength, and an optical output wavelength thereof changes almost linearly with respect to time in a period of 5 μs, i.e., a wavelength change amount per unit time is constant. The wavelength is swept in a predetermined to wavelength range. According to the present example embodiment, the wavelength is swept from 1250 nm to 1350 nm. A repeat frequency of the wavelength sweep is 100 kHz. The light source 31 may be included in the optical beam controller, or may be provided externally and not included in the optical beam controller.

(10) A control mechanism for generating, from the laser light output, a plurality of optical beams to be applied to a measurement object is provided. In other words, light emitted from the light source 31 is caused to branch into N pieces (N=3 in FIG. 1) by a splitter 101, and then, a time difference is caused to occur among each piece. In this example, a time delay of 3 ns is given by a delay device 102b to piece of the light passing through a branch 101b, as compared to piece of the light passing through a branch 101a that does not give a delay. A time delay of 6 ns is given by a delay device 102c to piece of the light passing through a branch 101c, as compared to the piece of the light passing through the branch 101a that does not give a delay.

(11) After being caused to branch and given time delays, each piece of the light passes through a circulator 103, and is divided into object light and reference light by a branching-merging device 104. A branching ratio between the object light and the reference light is desirably 1:1. As the branching-merging device, a device using fiber fusion, a device using micro-optics, or the like can be used.

(12) The object light passes through a fiber collimator 13 (hereinafter, abbreviated as a collimator) and an irradiation optical system 12 including a scan mirror and a lens, and is applied to a measurement object 11. In this example, three object optical beams 111a, 111b, and 111c are applied to different positions of the measurement object, and each piece of backscattered light returns to the branching-merging device 104.

(13) Meanwhile, the reference light into which the light has branched by the branching-merging devices 104 passes through a collimator 14 and a reference light mirror 15, and each piece of reflected light from the mirror returns to the branching-merging device 104. In the branching-merging device 104, the object light scattered from the measurement object and the reference light reflected by the mirror interfere with each other, and interference light is acquired. One piece of the interference light that has passed through the branching-merging device 104 is input to a two-input balanced photodetector 32 via the circulator 103, and the other piece of the interference light is input directly to the two-input balanced photodetector 32. The balanced photodetector is a photodetector in which two photodiodes are connected in series and the connection is an output (differential output), and an existing photodetector can be used. A band of the balanced photodetector 32 according to the present example embodiment is equal to or lower than 1 GHz.

(14) According to the present example embodiment, the light branches into three pieces by the splitter 101, and thus, three sets of the object light and the reference light exist, and in each set, an optical path length of the object light and an optical path length of the reference light from the branching by the branching-merging device 104 to the re-merging are set in such a way as to be substantially equal to each other. When the optical path lengths differ from each other, a frequency difference (wavelength difference) between the object light and the reference light occurs, and this frequency difference is set to be smaller than a band of photoelectric conversion in the photodetector.

(15) From photoelectric conversion output of the interference light by the balanced photodetector in response to wavelength sweep, an interference light spectrum is acquired, and structural data in a depth direction at an object light irradiation position of the measurement object are acquired.

(16) The following describes a reason why, according to the present example embodiment, influence of optical interference among a plurality of object optical beams does not appear in photoelectric conversion output of the photodetector.

(17) Generally, an amplitude and a phase when a plurality of optical beams overlap with one another are represented by linear superposition of the amplitude and the phase of each optical beam. A considered case is one where at a certain time point t, an object optical beam having a frequency v.sub.1 (a wavelength λ.sub.1=c/v.sub.1, c: a light velocity) and an object optical beam having a frequency v.sub.2 (wavelength λ.sub.2=c/v.sub.2) overlap with each other, interfere with reference light having a frequency v.sub.R (wavelength λ.sub.R=c/v.sub.R), and are subjected to photoelectric conversion by the photodetector. Usually, noise in photoelectric conversion output at the photodetector is reduced by increasing a reference light intensity, and in this case, interference between the object light of the frequency v.sub.1 and the reference light of the frequency v.sub.R, and interference between the object light of the frequency v.sub.2 and the reference light of the frequency v.sub.R may be mainly considered. Accordingly, a term changing according to the following expressions (1) and (2) appears in an instantaneous light intensity of the interference light.
e.sup.i2π(v.sup.1.sup.−v.sup.R.sup.)t  Expression (1):
e.sup.i2π(v.sup.2.sup.−v.sup.R.sup.)t  Expression (2):

(18) In the expressions (1) and (2), t is a time point. Whether a signal having been subjected to photoelectric conversion by the photodetector is affected by the changing terms (1) and (2) depends on a magnitude relation between a band Δv of the photodetector and each of v.sub.1−v.sub.R and v.sub.2−v.sub.R.

(19) In the case of intending to acquire structural data at a position a irradiated with the object light of the frequency v.sub.1, an interference light spectrum reflecting a tomographic structure of a measurement target can be detected by a signal subjected to photoelectric conversion by the photodetector when v1 is adjusted to satisfy the expression (3):
v.sub.1−v.sub.R<<Δv  (3).

(20) However, when in this signal, influence of another position b (usually, an adjacent position) irradiated with the object light of the frequency v.sub.2 appears, a signal reflecting a structure in a depth direction at the position b is superimposed on the signal reflecting the structure in a depth direction at the position a. In order to avoid this, according to the present example embodiment, the expression (4) is set:
v.sub.2−v.sub.R>>Δv  (4).

(21) Thereby, appearance of influence of the structure in the depth direction at the position b can be avoided. While only the relation between the two optical beams of the frequencies v.sub.1 and v.sub.2 is described above in this example, optical frequency difference in any combination of a plurality of optical beams used in measurement may be set in such a way as to satisfy the expression (4), i.e., to become larger than a band of the photodetector.

(22) Next, a specific method for setting of v.sub.2−v.sub.R>>Δv is described with reference to FIG. 2.

(23) Light of which wavelength is swept from λ1=1250 nm to λ3=1350 nm almost linearly with respect to time in a period of 5 μs is caused to branch into three pieces by a splitter 201, and as compared to a first optical beam 211a, a second optical beam 211b is given a delay of 3 ns by passing through a delaying device 202b, and a third optical beam 211c is given a delay of 6 ns by passing through a delaying device 202c.

(24) Accordingly, from a wavelength of the first optical beam 211a, a wavelength of the second optical beam 211b is shifted by approximately 0.06 nm, and a wavelength of the third optical beam 211c is shifted by approximately 0.12 nm. This is based on the following calculation. Since a wavelength changes by 100 nm (=1350 nm−1250 nm) in 5 μs, a wavelength changes by 0.02 nm in 1 ns. (0.02 nm=1 ns×100 nm/5 μs). Accordingly, when the wavelength of the first optical beam 211a is λ, at a certain time point, the second optical beam 211b is delayed by 3 ns, and thus, the wavelength of the second optical beam 211b is λ−0.02 [nm/ns]×3 [ns]=λ−0.06 [nm]. Similarly, the third optical beam is delayed by 6 ns, and thus, the wavelength thereof is λ−0.02 [nm/ns]×6 [ns]=λ−0.12 [nm].

(25) As a result, a beat frequency to be generated by interference between the first optical beam 211a and the second optical beam 211b. i.e., the above-mentioned v.sub.1−v.sub.R is approximately 10 GHz, and a beat frequency to be generated by interference between the second optical beam 211b and the third optical beam 211c is also approximately 10 GHz. These beat frequencies are higher than the band, i.e., the above-mentioned Δv of the photodetector, and thus, do not appear in photoelectric conversion output of the photodetector. In other words, influence of the optical interference among a plurality of object optical beams does not appear in photoelectric conversion output of the photodetector, and highly accurate measurement is enabled.

(26) According to the present example embodiment, for example, ten object optical beams can be applied simultaneously, i.e., applied to a wide range, and measurement time can be reduced to 1/10.

Second Example Embodiment

(27) The following describes a second example embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an optical interference tomographic imaging device based on an SS-OCT method according to the second example embodiment. According to the first example embodiment, separation and interference of object light and reference light are performed by the same branching-merging device 104, but according to the present example embodiment, branching of object light and reference light is performed by a branching device 105, and merging of the object light and the reference light and branching of after-merged interference light for input to a balanced photodetector is performed by a branching/merging device 107. Also according to the present example embodiment, a splitter 101 performs branching into three pieces, and thus, three sets of the object light and the reference light exist, and in each set, an optical path length of the object light and an optical path length of the reference light from the branching by the branching device 105 to the re-merging are set in such a way as to be substantially equal to each other. When the optical path lengths differ from each other, a frequency difference (wavelength difference) between the object light and the reference light occurs, and this frequency difference is set to be smaller than a band of photoelectric conversion in the photodetector.

(28) A light source 31 is the same as that used in the first example embodiment and is a laser that emits light whose wavelength is swept, and an optical output wavelength thereof changes almost linearly with respect to time in a period of 5 μs and is swept from 1250 nm to 1350 nm. A repeat frequency of the wavelength sweep is 100 kHz.

(29) A control mechanism for generating, from the laser light output, a plurality of optical beams to be applied to a measurement object is provided. In other words, light emitted from the light source 31 is caused to branch into N pieces (N=3 in FIG. 3) by the splitter 101, and then, a different time delay is given to each piece. In this example, a time delay of 3 ns is given by 102b, and a time delay of 6 ns is given by 102c.

(30) After being caused to branch and given time delays, each piece of the light is divided into object light and reference light by the branching device 105. The object light passes through a circulator 106, a collimator 13, and an irradiation optical system 12 including a scan mirror and a lens, and is applied to a measurement object 11. In this example, three object optical beams are applied to different positions of the measurement object, and each piece of backscattered light passes through the circulator 106 and is thereby guided to the branching-merging device 107. Meanwhile, the reference light passes through a circulator 108 and a collimator 14 and passes via a reference light mirror 15, and each piece of reflected light from the mirror passes through the circulator 108 and thereby returns to the branching-merging device 107. The object light scattered from the measurement object and the reference light reflected by the mirror interfere with each other in the branching-merging device 107. Interference light that has passed through the branching-merging device 107 is input to a two-input balanced photodetector 32. A band of the balanced photodetector is equal to or lower than 1 GHz. An interference light spectrum is acquired from photoelectric conversion output of the interference light by the balanced photodetector in response to wavelength sweep, and from the interference light spectrum, structural data in a depth direction at an object light irradiation position of the measurement object are acquired. Because of provision of the optical beam control mechanism, influence of optical interference among a plurality of object optical beams does not appear in photoelectric conversion output of the photodetectors.

(31) According to the present example embodiment, branching into the object light and the reference light is performed by the branching device 105, and merging is performed by the branching-merging unit 107. In other words, branching and merging are performed by the different devices, and thus, a branching ratio can be set separately. Separate setting of branching ratios can reduce optical power loss. In many cases, in the branching device 105, the branching ratio is set in such a way that a light intensity of the object light becomes higher. In the branching-merging device 107, the branching ratio is set to 1:1 in consideration of input to the balanced photodetector 32. As the branching device and the branching-merging device, a device using fiber fusion, a device using micro-optics, or the like is considered.

Third Example Embodiment

(32) The following describes a third example embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an optical interference tomographic imaging device based on an SS-OCT method according to the third example embodiment. One of pieces into which light branches by a branching device is guided as reference light to a branching-merging device, without using a reference light mirror. Also according to the present example embodiment, a splitter 101 performs branching into three pieces, and thus, three sets of object light and reference light exist, and in each set, an optical path length of the object light and an optical path length of the reference light from the branching by a branching device 105 to the re-merging are set in such a way as to be substantially equal to each other. When the optical path lengths differ from each other, a frequency difference (wavelength difference) between the object light and the reference light occurs, and this frequency difference is set to be smaller than a band of photoelectric conversion in a photodetector.

(33) A light source 31 is the same as that used in the first example embodiment and is a laser that emits light whose wavelength is swept, and an optical output wavelength thereof changes almost linearly with respect to time in a period of 5 μs and is swept from 1250 nm to 1350 nm. A repeat frequency of the wavelength sweep is 100 kHz.

(34) A control mechanism for generating, from the laser light output, a plurality of optical beams to be applied to a measurement object is provided. In other words, light emitted from the light source 31 is caused to branch into N pieces (N=3 in FIG. 4) by the splitter 101, and then, a different time delay is given to each piece. In this example, a time delay of 3 ns is given by 102b, and a time delay of 6 ns is given by 102c.

(35) After being caused to branch and given time delays, each piece of the light is divided into object light and reference light by the branching device 105. The object light passes through a circulator 106, a collimator 13, and an irradiation optical system 12 including a scan mirror and a lens, and is applied to a measurement object 11. In this example, three object optical beams are applied to different positions of the measurement object, and each piece of backscattered light passes through the circulator 106 and is thereby guided to a branching-merging device 107. Meanwhile, the reference light is guided from the branching device 105 to the branching-merging device 107. The object light scattered from the measurement object and the reference light guided from the branching device 105 interfere with each other in the branching-merging device 107. Interference light that has passed through the branching-merging device 107 is input to a two-input balanced photodetector 32. A band of the balanced photodetector is equal to or lower than 1 GHz. An interference light spectrum is acquired from photoelectric conversion output of the interference light by the balanced photodetector in response to wavelength sweep, and structural data in a depth direction at an object light irradiation position of the measurement object are acquired. Because of provision of the optical beam control mechanism, influence of optical interference among a plurality of object optical beams does not appear in photoelectric conversion output of the photodetectors. According to the present example embodiment, connection from the branching to the merging is made without use of returning by the reference light mirror, and circulators are unnecessary, resulting in simplicity of the configuration. However, adjustment of optical path lengths takes some time, as compared to the first and second example embodiments.

Fourth Example Embodiment

(36) The following describes a fourth example embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an optical interference tomographic imaging device based on an SS-OCT method according to the fourth example embodiment. According to the present example embodiment, the collimator 13 and the irradiation optical system 12 of the third example embodiment are replaced with an optical switch 109 and an associated collimator 110. Also according to the present example embodiment, a splitter 101 performs branching into three pieces, and thus, three sets of object light and reference light exist, and in each set, an optical path length of the object light and an optical path length of the reference light from the branching by a branching device 105 to the re-merging are set in such a way as to be substantially equal to each other. When the optical path lengths differ from each other, a frequency difference (wavelength difference) between the object light and the reference light occurs, and this frequency difference is set to be smaller than a band of photoelectric conversion in a photodetector.

(37) A light source 31 is the same as that used in the first example embodiment and is a laser that emits light whose wavelength is swept, and an optical output wavelength thereof changes almost linearly with respect to time in a period of 5 μs and is swept from 1250 nm to 1350 nm. A repeat frequency of the wavelength sweep is 100 kHz.

(38) A control mechanism for generating, from the laser light output, a plurality of optical beams to be applied to a measurement object is provided. In other words, light emitted from the light source 31 is caused to branch into N pieces (N=3 in FIG. 5) by the splitter 101, and then, a different time delay is given to each piece. In this example, a time delay of 3 ns is given by 102b, and a time delay of 6 ns is given by 102c.

(39) After being caused to branch and given time delays, each piece of the light is divided into object light and reference light by the branching device 105. The object light passes through a circulator 106, the optical switches 109a to 109c, and the collimator 110, and is applied to a measurement object 11. In this example, three object optical beams are applied to different positions of the measurement object, and the object optical beams are switched by the optical switches. The optical switch 109a is used for switching between an optical beam 112a and an optical beam 112d to be applied to a location separated therefrom to a small extent. Similarly, the optical switch 109b is used for switching between an optical beam 112b and an optical beam 112e. Similarly, the optical switch 109c is used for switching between an optical beam 112c and an optical beam 112f. Each piece of backward scattered light from the measurement object passes through the circulators 106, and is thereby guided to the branching-merging device 107.

(40) Meanwhile, the reference light is guided from the branching device 105 to branching-merging device 107. The object light scattered from the measurement object and the reference light guided from the branching device 105 interfere with each other in the branching-merging device 107. Interference light that has passed through the branching-merging device 107 is input to a two-input balanced photodetectors 32. A band of the balanced photodetector is equal to or lower than 1 GHz. An interference light spectrum is acquired from photoelectric conversion output of the interference light by the balanced photodetector in response to wavelength sweep, and structural data in a depth direction at an object light irradiation position of the measurement object are acquired. Because of provision of the optical beam control mechanism, influence of optical interference among a plurality of object optical beams does not appear in photoelectric conversion output of the photodetectors. According to the present example embodiment, the optical switches are also used for switching of the optical beams, and thereby, on the measurement object, positions irradiated with object optical beams can be changed over a wide range at a higher speed.

(41) Examples that can be used as the optical switches 109a, 109b, and 109c in FIG. 5 include a waveguide type optical switch that can switch optical paths at a relatively high speed. Assuming that an optical pulse to be output while a wavelength is swept is repeated in 10 μs (repeated at 100 kHz) and has a pulse width of 5 μs for example, when optical paths can be switched in 5 μs that is an interval between the optical pulses, object optical beams can be applied to different positions without wasting optical pulses. Examples of the waveguide type optical switch that can achieve switching time of approximately 5 μs include an optical switch of a silicon waveguide.

Fifth Example Embodiment

(42) FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an optical beam controller according to a fifth example embodiment of the present invention. An optical beam controller 60 according to the present example embodiment includes an optical multiple-beam generation means 61 for generating a plurality of wavelength-swept optical beams and an optical frequency difference setting means 62 for setting an optical frequency difference in any combination of the plurality of optical beams in such a way as to be larger than a band of a photodetector that receives the optical beam.

(43) Wavelength of a light source incorporated in or externally attached to the optical multiple-beam generation means 61 is swept at a predetermined cycle. An optical beam of which wavelength has been swept is caused to branch into a plurality of optical beams by a splitter. Since the wavelength is swept, a frequency differs between an optical beam and an adjacent optical beam. For this reason, in an instantaneous light intensity of interference light generated by interference between object light and reference light, a changing term appears as described according to the first example embodiment. According to the present example embodiment, the branching optical beams are made incident on the optical frequency difference setting means 62, and a delay is given among the beams by a delay device or the like. Since the wavelength is swept, when a delay is given, change in wavelength, i.e., change in frequency increases to that extent, and a frequency difference (beat frequency) between adjacent optical beams can be made larger than a band of a photodetector (not illustrated) that receives the optical beam. By adjusting given delay time, an optical frequency difference in any combination of the plurality of optical beams is set in such a way as to be larger than the band of the photodetector. This setting prevents influence of optical interference among a plurality of the object optical beams from appearing in photoelectric conversion output of the photodetector. The optical beams of which beat frequency has been set in such a manner are output and caused to branch into object light and reference light.

(44) While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to example embodiments thereof, the invention is not limited to these embodiments. It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

(45) For example, according to the above-described example embodiments, the splitter that causes output light of the light source to branch into three pieces is used, but the number of branching pieces is not limited to this. An effect of measurement acceleration is more enhanced as more branching is performed.

(46) The light source that outputs light of a wavelength of a 1300 nm band is used in the above, but the wavelength is not limited to this.

(47) Even in the case of different wavelengths such as a 1000 nm band and a 1550 nm band, the same effect as in the above example embodiment can be achieved.

(48) According to the above-described example embodiments, the wavelength of the light source is linearly swept with respect to time, but may be corrected without linear sweeping. While interference light intensity data for equally spaced optical frequencies are used as the interference light spectrum in the SS-OCT to acquire structural data of a measurement target using Fourier transform on an interference light spectrum, linear sweeping can simplify data processing after acquisition of the interference light intensity data.

(49) The invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to example embodiments as typical examples thereof. However, the invention is not limited to these embodiments. In other words, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

(50) This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese patent application No. 2017-248229, filed on Dec. 25, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(51) 11 Measurement object 12 Irradiation optical system including scan mirror and lens 13 Collimator 14 Collimator 15 Reference light mirror 21 Light source 22 Spectroscope 31 Wavelength-sweep light source 32 Balanced photodetector 41 Splitter 42 Branching-merging device 101 Splitter 102 Delay device 103 Circulator 104 Branching-merging device 105 Branching device 106 Circulator 107 Branching-merging device 108 Circulator 109 Optical switch 110 Collimator