The optical coherence tomography (OCT) microscopy generates micron-scale three-dimensional images of living tissue down to depths of several mm. The OCT microscope, similar to a Michelson interferometer, detects depth information by interfering the backscattered beam from the sample with a reference beam. A full 3D image is constructed by varying the reference beam delay (axial - Z axis) and scanning the beam over the sample (X and Y axis). OCT has already became an important tool in ophthalmology but technical challenges limit its use in other applications.
We approach the problem of medical imaging from the ultrafast optics perspective. If we can completely characterize an optical pulse that backscatters from a sample, we can deduce a great deal of information about the sample. Normal OCT is limited to linear optical processes. We are currently exploiting nonlinear processes with the goal of achieving higher contrast images at greater depths into the sample and at faster speeds.
By integrating optical coherent tomography into a laser micromachining platform, we are able to follow the extreme sample morphology changes in real-time at rates up to 308 kHz. This novel diagnostic provides a new perspective into the extreme light-matter interaction. It's also a lot of fun!
