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Publication Number
US-10480927-B2
Publication Date
2019-11-19
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present disclosure provides an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for characterising first and second areas of interest of a material. The OCT system comprises first and second optical elements in use positioned at the first and second areas of interest of the material. The first and second optical elements are at least partially transmissive for electromagnetic radiation. The system further comprises first and second scanning heads in use positioned at the first and second optical elements, respectively, to receive electromagnetic radiation that has interacted with the material at the first and second areas of interest. In addition, the system comprises at least one detector optically coupled to the first and second scanning heads. The first and second optical elements are arranged such that respective reference radiation associated with the first and second optical elements is generated by reflection at interfaces of or at the first and second optical elements, respectively, and the first and second optical elements are arranged or positioned such that an optical path length difference between the reference radiation associated with the first optical element reference radiation and electromagnetic radiation that interacted with the material associated with the first optical element differs from an optical path length difference between the reference radiation associated with the second optical element and electromagnetic radiation that interacted with the material associated with the second optical element.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for characterising first and second areas of interest of a material. The OCT system includes first and second optical elements positioned at first and second surface areas, respectively, each at least partially transmissive for electromagnetic radiation and cooperating with a scanning system having first and second optical portions for receiving electromagnetic radiation that has interacted with the material within the first and second regions.
Respective reference radiation associated with the first and second optical elements is generated by reflection at interfaces of, or at, the first and second optical elements. The optical elements are positioned so that the optical path length difference between the reference radiation associated with the first optical element and electromagnetic radiation that interacted with the first region differs from the optical path length difference for the second region, enabling separation of OCT signals associated with the different regions even when propagating along a common optical path to a common detector.
The disclosed embodiments include common-path propagation and optical path length difference obtained via element thickness and/or refractive index selection, including layered optical elements where interfaces between layers generate the respective reference radiation. Further constructions include optical elements having non-uniform thickness and shaped optical elements, including wedge or tapered thickness and inclined or tilted contact surfaces, to reduce unwanted reflections.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides two independent claims: an OCT system claim and a method claim. The inventive features focus on region-specific reference radiation generated by reflections at transmissive optical element interfaces and on different optical path length differences between reference and sample-interacted radiation for the first and second regions.
Region-specific transmissive optical elements with interface-generated reference radiation
The OCT system comprises first and second optical elements positioned at first and second surface areas, each at least partially transmissive, where respective reference radiation associated with the first and second optical elements is generated by reflection at interfaces of or at the first and second optical elements, respectively.
Different optical path length differences between regions
The first and second optical elements are arranged such that an optical path length difference between the reference radiation associated with the first optical element and electromagnetic radiation that interacted with the first region differs from an optical path length difference between the reference radiation associated with the second optical element and electromagnetic radiation that interacted with the second region.
First and second scanning portions for receiving region-interacted radiation
A scanning system has first and second optical portions positioned at the first and second optical elements, respectively, to receive electromagnetic radiation that has interacted with the material within the first and second regions; and at least one detector is optically coupled to the scanning system.
Method positioning first and second transmissive optical elements to enforce different optical path length differences
A method for characterising a material positions first and second optical elements with first and second optical portions of an optical scanning system, respectively, at first and second surface areas of respective first and second regions of interest, where respective reference radiation is generated by reflection at interfaces of the first and second optical elements, and where the optical path length difference between reference and sample-interacted radiation differs between the first and second regions.
Directing electromagnetic radiation to first and second regions and detecting received radiation
The method directs electromagnetic radiation towards the first and second regions through the first and second surface areas, respectively; and detects the electromagnetic radiation received by the optical portions of the scanning system, using a detector optically coupled to the scanning system.
Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage is an OCT approach using first and second transmissive optical elements that generate region-specific reference radiation via reflections at their interfaces, while arranging the optical elements so that the optical path length difference between reference and sample-interacted radiation is different for the first and second regions, with region-specific scanning portions and detection.
Stated Advantages
Enables separation of OCT signals associated with different regions even when propagating along a common optical path to a common detector.
Documented Applications
Mechanical property evaluation via simultaneous loading, strain, and stress determination using the OCT system.
Acoustic-wave velocity measurement using the OCT system.
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