Paired-angle-rotation scanning optical coherence tomography forward-imaging probe

We report a novel forward-imaging optical coherence tomography (OCT), needle-probe paired-angle-rotation scanning OCT (PARS-OCT) probe. The probe uses two rotating angled gradient-index lenses to scan the output OCT probe beam over a wide angular arc (similar to 19 degrees half-angle) of the region forward of the probe. Among other advantages, this probe design is readily amenable to miniaturization and is capable of a variety of scan modes, including volumetric scans. To demonstrate the advantages of the probe design, we have constructed a prototype probe with an outer diameter of 1.65 ram and employed it to acquire four OCT images, with a 45 degrees angle between adjacent images, of the gill structure of a Xenopus laevis tadpole. The system sensitivity was measured to be 93 dB by using the prototype probe with an illumination power of 450 mu W on the sample. Moreover, the axial and the lateral resolutions of the probe are 9.3 and 10.3-12.5 mu m, respectively. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.