-78-dB shot-noise limited optical low-coherence reflectometry at 42-m/s scan speed

Author

Lindgren, F. ; Gianotti, R. ; Wälti, R. ; Salathé, R.P. ; Haas, A. ; Nussberger, M. ; Schmatz, M.L. ; Bächtold, W.

Author_Institution

Inst. of Appl. Opts., Swiss Federal Inst. of Technol., Lausanne, Switzerland

Volume

9

Issue

12

fYear

1997

Firstpage

1613

Lastpage

1615

Abstract

We report, to our knowledge, the fastest longitudinal scans in optical low-coherence reflectometry published in literature. The use of a rotating glass cube as an optical path length variator results in a longitudinal scan speed of 42 m/s at a longitudinal scan repetition rate of 1240 Hz. The high-speed reflectometer is operated at the shot-noise limit corresponding to a sensitivity of -78 dB. The scalability of the scanning method with respect to scan speed, scan repetitiveness and scan length is demonstrated by the use of differently sized glass cubes.

Keywords

light coherence; optical delay lines; optical noise; optical scanners; optical signal detection; reflectometry; shot noise; 1240 Hz; 42 m/s; differently sized glass cubes; fastest longitudinal scans; high-speed reflectometer; longitudinal scan repetition rate; longitudinal scan speed; optical path length variator; rotating glass cube; scalability; scan length; scan repetitiveness; scan speed; scanning method; sensitivity; shot-noise limited optical low-coherence reflectometry; Biomedical optical imaging; High speed optical techniques; Optical filters; Optical interferometry; Optical noise; Optical sensors; Optical signal processing; Reflectometry; Superluminescent diodes; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/68.643286

Filename

643286