Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging Performance Improvement Based on Field Curvature Aberration-Corrected Spectrometer

• Main Authors: Seung Seok Lee, Woosub Song, Eun Seo Choi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: SD-OCT; imaging depth; roll-off; field curvature aberration; spectrometer
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/10/3657

We designed and fabricated a telecentric f-theta imaging lens (TFL) to improve the imaging performance of spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). By tailoring the field curvature aberration of the TFL, the flattened focal surface was well matched to the detector plane. Simulation results showed that the spot in the focal plane fitted well within a single pixel and the modulation transfer function at high spatial frequencies showed higher values compared with those of an achromatic doublet imaging lens, which are commonly used in SD-OCT spectrometers. The spectrometer using the TFL had an axial resolution of 7.8 m, which was similar to the theoretical value of 6.2 m. The spectrometer was constructed so that the achromatic doublet lens was replaced by the TFL. As a result, the SD-OCT imaging depth was improved by 13% (1.85 mm) on a 10 dB basis in the roll-off curve and showed better sensitivity at the same depth. The SD-OCT images of a multi-layered tape and a human palm proved that the TFL was able to achieve deeper imaging depth and better contrast. This feature was seen very clearly in the depth profile of the image. SD-OCT imaging performance can be improved simply by changing the spectrometer's imaging lens. By optimizing the imaging lens, deeper SD-OCT imaging can be achieved with improved sensitivity.