Linear-wavenumber spectrometer for high-speed spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

Abstract

An equidistant (in the wavenumber) spectrometer based on a diffraction grating, a compensation prism, and a CCD linear array is developed and implemented for spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. A criterion is introduced for estimating the level of residual nonequidistance. This criterion allows one to determine the threshold compensation level necessary for obtaining the spectrally limited spatial resolution. The method is tested in spectral-domain optical coherent tomography systems at wavelengths of 1270 and 830 nm.