	US 12,222,202 B2
	Systems, methods, and media for multiple beam optical coherence tomography
Benjamin Vakoc, Arlington, MA (US); and Yongjoo Kim, Boston, MA (US)
Assigned to The General Hospital Corporation, Boston, MA (US)
Appl. No. 17/757,723
Filed by The General Hospital Corporation, Boston, MA (US)
PCT Filed Dec. 21, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/066399 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 20, 2022, PCT Pub. No. WO2021/127636, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 24, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/951,710, filed on Dec. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0341222 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. G01B 9/02091 (2022.01); G01B 9/02001 (2022.01); G01B 9/02002 (2022.01); G01B 9/02015 (2022.01)

CPC G01B 9/02091 (2013.01) [G01B 9/02005 (2013.01); G01B 9/0201 (2013.01); G01B 9/02011 (2013.01); G01B 9/02028 (2013.01)]

29 Claims

1. A system for multiple beam optical coherence tomography, comprising:

a sample arm optically configured to be coupled to a light source, the sample arm comprising:

a first optical fiber comprising a proximal end optically coupled to the light source and a distal end,

a first splitter optically coupled to the distal end of the first optical fiber and optically coupled to a proximal end of each of a first plurality of optical fibers, wherein the first plurality of optical fibers comprises n optical fibers, and

a first plurality of optical components configured to:

receive from the plurality of optical fibers a respective plurality of beams,

cause the plurality of beams to be emitted toward a sample,

receive a plurality of backscattered light samples from the sample,

wherein the plurality of backscattered light samples are spatially separated, and

wherein each of the plurality of backscattered light samples corresponds to one of the plurality of beams, and

direct the plurality of backscattered light samples toward a detector;

a reference arm optically coupled to the light source, the reference arm comprising:

a second optical fiber comprising a proximal end optically coupled to the light source and a distal end, and

a second splitter optically coupled to the distal end of the second optical fiber and optically coupled to a proximal end of each of a second plurality of optical fibers, wherein the second plurality of optical fibers comprises n optical fibers;

a second plurality of optical components configured to:

combine each of the plurality of backscattered light samples with a beam emitted by a corresponding optical fiber of the second plurality of optical fibers yielding a plurality of fringes, and

direct each of the plurality of fringes to a corresponding channel of the detector,

the second plurality of optical components comprising a beam splitter comprising a first port, a second port, and a third port,

the first port being configured to receive light emitted by the second plurality of optical components,

the second port being configured to receive the plurality of backscattered light samples, and

the third port being configured to output the plurality of fringes; and

the detector comprising a plurality of detection channels, the detector configured to output optical coherence tomography data indicative of a structure of the sample at a plurality of locations that generated the plurality of backscattered light samples,

the detector comprising a plurality of balanced detectors comprising a first port and a second port, each of the plurality of balanced detectors corresponding to a respective channel of the detector,

the beam splitter further comprising a fourth port configured to output a second plurality of fringes, and

each of the plurality of balanced detectors receiving a fringe of the plurality of fringes and a corresponding fringe of the second plurality of fringes and outputting a signal based on both fringes.