High-resolution optical coherence tomography using a multi-level diffractive lens

We present a high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging system that utilizes a multi-level diffractive lens (MDL) to enhance lateral resolution. The system utilizes a polygon-based swept laser source with a center wavelength of 1,000 nm to achieve an axial resolution of 5.6 mu m and an imaging depth of 1.4 mm using the bidirectional configuration of a semiconductor optical amplifier. The MDL significantly enhances the lateral resolution of the system, providing an extended depth of focus of 550 mu m with an average lateral resolution of 8.5 mu m. The effectiveness of this setup is validated through imaging of phantom and onion samples, demonstrating the system's capability for high-resolution deep tissue imaging. These findings underscore the potential of compact MDLs to significantly enhance the performance of OCT systems, offering a promising direction for advanced high-resolution imaging applications.