Work

High-speed, wide-field, fiber-based PS-OCT system with real-time surface Stokes feedback for circular input polarization

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: We present a high-speed, wide-field, fiber-based polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) system that enables reliable in vivo birefringence imaging of tissue beds. To address the inherent instability of the input state of polarization (SOP) in single-input fiber systems, particularly in handheld configurations, we introduce a real-time sample surface Stokes vector feedback mechanism that dynamically stabilizes the incident circular polarization prior to scanning. The system integrates a 600 kHz swept-source laser with a relatively narrow 20 nm bandwidth to balance axial resolution (∼37.8 μm in air) and mitigate polarization mode dispersion (PMD), achieving an extinction ratio exceeding 200. Phantom studies validated the repeatability of the SOP feedback strategy, with a median angular standard deviation of 6.52° across repeated local axis measurements. In vivo imaging of the anterior human oral cavity demonstrated detailed structural and polarization-resolved contrasts across a 42 × 42 mm 2 field of view, enabling simultaneous assessment of enamel orientation, gingival birefringence, and early-stage tissue abnormalities. This approach enables a streamlined and robust PS-OCT operation, facilitating the clinical translation of wide-field polarization-sensitive imaging in dentistry and soft tissue diagnostics.

Source: Biomedical Optics Express

DOI: 10.1364/boe.586089

Authors: Yaping Shi, Jingjiang Xu, Zhaoyu Gong, Qingliang Zhao, Yi Zhang, Ruikang K. Wang

Institution: University of Washington

Language: English

Topic: Optical Coherence Tomography Applications

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,913

Funder: Washington Research Foundation