Fast-Fourier-Domain Delay Line for in vivo Optical Coherence Tomography with a Polygonal Scanner

We demonstrate in vivo optical coherence tomography using a Fourier-domain optical delay line constructed with a commercially available polygonal scanner. The 20-faceted polygonal mirror array, capable of scanning at rates up to 15 kHz, is implemented at 4 kHz to acquire 500 x 500 pixel images at 8 frames /s with a signal-to-noise ratio of 80 dB. Features of this delay line include scalability to high repetition rates, 98.6% linearity in group delay over 2 mm, and bandwidth support exceeding 150 nm. Images are obtained in an animal model (Xenopus laevis ), and limitations due to phase-delay nonlinearity and polygon asymmetry are discussed.