Electrostatic forward-viewing scanning probe for Doppler optical coherence tomography using a dissipative polymer catheter

A novel flexible scanning optical probe is constructed with a finely etched optical fiber strung through a platinum coil in the lumen of a dissipative polymer. The packaged probe is 2.2 mm in diameter with a rigid length of 6 mm when using a ball lens or 12 mm. when scanning the fiber proximal to a gradient-index (GRIN) lens. Driven by constant high voltage (1-3 kV) at low current (<5 mu A), the probe oscillates to provide wide forward-viewing angle (13 degrees and 33 degrees with ball and GRIN lens designs, respectively) and high-frame-rate (10 - 140 fps) operation. Motion of the probe tip is observed with a high-speed camera and compared with theory. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging with the probe is demonstrated with a wavelength-swept source laser. Images of an IR card as well as in vivo Doppler OCT images of a tadpole heart are presented. This optomechanical design offers a simple, inexpensive method to obtain a high-frame-rate forward-viewing scanning probe. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America.