Reconstruction in interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy: comparison with optical coherence tomography and digital holographic microscopy

It is shown that the spatial frequencies recorded in interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy do not correspond to exact backscattering [as they do in unistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR)] and that the reconstruction process based on SAR is therefore based on an approximation. The spatial frequency response is developed based on the three-dimensional coherent transfer function approach and compared with that in optical coherence tomography and digital holographic microscopy.     

General adaptive-neighborhood technique for improving synthetic aperture radar interferometric coherence estimation

A new method for filtering the coherence map issued from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometric data is presented. For each pixel of the interferogram, an adaptive neighborhood is determined by a region-growing technique driven by the information provided by the amplitude images. Then pixels in the derived adaptive neighborhood are complex averaged to yield the filtered value of the coherence, after a phase-compensation step is performed. An extension of the algorithm is proposed for polarimetric interferometric SAR images. The proposed method has been applied to both European Remote Sensing (ERS) satellite SAR images and airborne high-resolution polarimetric interferometric SAR images. Both subjective and objective performance analysis, including coherence edge detection, shows that the proposed method provides better results than the standard phase-compensated fixed multilook filter and the Lee adaptive coherence filter.     

Terahertz interferometric and synthetic aperture imaging

The stand-off imaging properties of a terahertz (THz) interferometric array are examined. For this application, the imaged object is in the near-field region limit of the imaging array. In this region, spherical and circular array architectures can compensate for near-field distortions and increase the field of view and depth of focus. Imaging of THz point sources is emphasized to demonstrate the imaging method and to compare theoretical predictions to experimental performance.     

Time-domain optical coherence tomography with digital holographic microscopy

We show that digital holography can be combined easily with optical coherence tomography approach. Varying the reference path length is the means used to acquire a series of holograms at different depths, providing after reconstruction images of slices at different depths in the specimen thanks to the short-coherence length of light source. A metallic object, covered by a 150-microm-thick onion cell, is imaged with high resolution. Applications in ophthalmology are shown: structures of the anterior eye, the cornea, and the iris, are studied on enucleated porcine eyes. Tomographic images of the iris border close to the pupil were obtained 165 microm underneath the eye surface.     

InSAS干涉测深系统误差分析

对由海水折射引起的InSAS干涉测深误差进行了分析。在分析InSAS测深原理的基础上,采用射线声学理论分析了两种典型的中国海浅海声速剖面条件下,距离深度比对测深精度的影响。结果表明,对于典型的中国海浅海声速剖面,在水深为40m的情况下,当距离深度比达到5～10倍时,InSAS干涉测深系统将带来5～20m的深度测量误差和1～3m的水平距离误差。因此,为提高InSAS干涉测深系统精度,必须要进行声速补偿。     

干涉合成孔径声纳海试样机研制与试验

介绍了干涉合成孔径声纳海试样机的研制情况,重点阐述了其中的主要关键技术：实时干涉信号处理技术、高稳定性拖曳体设计以及高幅相一致性基阵设计,并给出了干涉合成孔径声纳的湖试和海试成像结果。结果表明：干涉合成孔径声纳海试样机系统稳定可靠,成功获取了海底的高精度数字高程图,距离分辨率达到2．5cm,方位分辨率达到5cm,高程测量精度约为0．15m。     

干涉仪合成孔径声纳原理样机的研制与试验

简要说明了干涉仪合成孔径声纳基本原理和信号处理过程:合成孔径成像、干涉图获取与处理和相位解卷.介绍了我国首台干涉仪合成孔径声纳原理样机研制的基本情况,给出了该样机水池及湖试试验结果.试验结果表明:干涉仪合成孔径声纳兼备合成孔径声纳高分辨率和干涉测深精度高的优点;设计的原理样机是成功的.     

干涉合成孔径声纳新体制研究

提出一种干涉合成孔径声纳新体制：采用多个发射阵和一条接收阵的收发阵结构,通过对正交回波信号进行分离和分别成像处理得到多幅来自不同收发路径的合成孔径图像,将这些合成孔径图像进行干涉处理,实现了干涉合成孔径三维声成像;论证了新体制的可行性;论述了新体制相对于已有体制的优越性。     

Effects of source coherence and aperture array geometry on optical sectioning strength in direct-view microscopy

Laser sources offer a possible solution to the problem of low light throughput in direct-view microscopes (DVMs). However, coherent source DVMs have been shown to suffer from problems such as increased sidelobes in the depth response because of coherent cross talk between neighboring apertures. We explore theoretically how source coherence affects the depth responses of DVMs by employing various aperture spacings and number of apertures. We show that, contrary to expectation, closely spaced apertures can result in decreased full width at half-maximum of the depth response curve. We explain this as an effect of destructive interference when cross talk between neighboring apertures occurs. Using apertures arranged in a square grid as an example, we move on to show that the use of aperture arrays that consist of regularly arranged apertures can accentuate the problematic sidelobes of the depth response. We show that arranging pinholes in a rectangular grid rather than a square grid can improve the optical sectioning strength significantly. Finally, by examination of the depth responses corresponding to the infinite-pinhole-array limit, we make some general statements about source coherence and the characteristics of arrays that are likely to perform well.     

Monte Carlo modeling of optical coherence tomography imaging through turbid media

We combine a Monte Carlo technique with Mie theory to develop a method for simulating optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging through homogeneous turbid media. In our model the propagating light is represented by a plane wavelet; its line propagation direction and path length in the turbid medium are determined by the Monte Carlo technique, and the process of scattering by small particles is computed according to Mie theory. Incorporated into the model is the numerical phase function obtained with Mie theory. The effect of phase function on simulation is also illustrated. Based on this improved Monte Carlo technique, OCT imaging is directly simulated and phase information is recorded. Speckles, resolution, and coherence gating are discussed. The simulation results show that axial and transversal resolutions decrease as probing depth increases. Adapting a light source with a low coherence improves the resolution. The selection of an appropriate coherence length involves a trade-off between intensity and resolution.     

Characterisation of scaffold architecture and tendons using optical coherence tomography and polarisation-sensitive optical coherence tomography

Scaffolds play an important role in the generation of functional tissues using tissue-engineering techniques. To generate highly organised tissue, scaffolds must have specific internal and external architectures. Here, optical coherence tomography (OCT) is exploited to characterise the architectures of various scaffolds, in particular scaffolds which have been fabricated to support the formation of uniaxially orientated collagen bundle for use in tendon tissue engineering. In parallel, a polarisation-sensitive OCT (PSOCT) has been built to assess the collagen fibre organisation in human tendon and monitor the growth of engineering tendon constructs online and non-destructively. The impact of mechanical stimuli on the modulation of tendon tissue formation and organisation was also assessed. It is shown that conventional OCT is capable of characterising scaffold architecture and the pore size, porosity or microchannel dimension can be determined quantitatively and qualitatively. PSOCT generated birefringence images of human tendon and demonstrated that low birefringence images, associated with fewer microstructural variations, correlated to the presence of scar tissue or degenerated tissue; whereas the tissue-engineered tendon exhibited lower degree of birefringence.     

Multiple scattering in optical coherence tomography. I. Investigation and modeling

We present a new model of optical coherence tomography (OCT) taking into account multiple scattering. A theoretical analysis and experimental investigation reveals that in OCT, despite multiple scattering, the field backscattered from the sample is generally spatially coherent and that the resulting interference signal with the reference field is stationary relative to measurement time. On the basis of this result, we model an OCT signal as a sum of spatially coherent fields with random-phase arguments--constant during measurement time--caused by multiple scattering. We calculate the mean of such a random signal from classical results of statistical optics and a Monte Carlo simulation. OCT signals predicted by our model are in very good agreement with a depth scan measurement of a sample consisting of a mirror covered with an aqueous suspension of microspheres. We discuss other comprehensive OCT models based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel principle, which rest on the assumption of partially coherent interfering fields.     

合成孔径声纳干涉相位图噪声抑制方法分析

讨论了合成孔径声纳的干涉相位图降噪问题。利用加性噪声模型,分析了四种降噪算法:像素平均法、非线性条件邻域均值法、模糊中值法和向量滤波法。通过仿真数据生成的干涉相位图进行降噪分析得到结论:通过像素平均法和条件邻域均值法降噪后不能准确地生成高度图,不推荐在实际中使用。而模糊中值法和向量滤波法通过降噪可以准确地生成高度图。通过相位图残留点数和高度图方差对比发现,向量滤波法性能最优,是一种快速有效的噪声抑制方法。     

Direct-Fourier reconstruction in tomography and synthetic aperture radar

We investigate the use of direct-Fourier (DF) image reconstruction in computed tomography and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). One of our aims is to determine why the convolution-backprojection (CBP) method is favored over DF methods in tomography, while DF methods are virtually always used in SAR. We show that the CBP algorithm is equivalent to DF reconstruction using a Jacobian-weighted two-dimensional periodic sinc-kernel interpolator. This interpolation is not optimal in any sense, which suggests that DF algorithms using optimal interpolators may surpass CBP in image quality. We consider use of two types of DF interpolation: a windowed sinc kernel, and the least-squares optimal Yen interpolator. Simulations show that reconstructions using the Yen interpolator do not possess the expected visual quality, because of regularization needed to preserve numerical stability. Next, we show that with a concentric-squares sampling scheme, DF interpolation can be performed accurately and efficiently, producing imagery that is superior to that obtainable by other algorithms. In the case of SAR, we show that the DF method performs very well with interpolators of low complexity. We also study DF reconstruction in SAR for trapezoidal grids. We conclude that the success of the DF method in SAR imaging is due to the nearly Cartesian shape of the sampling grid. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 9, 1–13, 1998     

Interferometer for optical coherence tomography

We describe a new interferometer setup for optical coherence tomography (OCT). The interferometer is based on a fiber arrangement similar to Young's two-pinhole interference experiment with spatial coherent and temporal incoherent light. Depth gating is achieved detection of the interference signal on a linear CCD array. Therefore no reference optical delay scanning is needed. The interference signal, the modulation of the signal, the axial resolution, and the depth range are derived theoretically and compared with experiments. The dynamic range of the setup is compared with OCT sensors in the time domain. To our knowledge, the first images of porcine brain and heart tissue and human skin are presented.     

Coupled cavity InGaAsP/InP laser for synthetic optical coherence tomography and other applications

The authors describe widely tunable coupled cavity semiconductor lasers with sub-microsecond switching times between modes over the operating range of ˜100 nm. With appropriate modulation of injection currents and time averaging of the output, these devices provide short coherence lengths and can be an excellent source for synthesised optical coherence tomography (OCT). The depth resolution was found to be ˜15 mm for a 100 nm wavelength tuning range centred at 1580 nm. High-output power and brightness together with a short coherence length confers on these asymmetric multiple quantum well (AMQW) C³ laser some advantages over conventional sources for OCT. Also, a rapid wavelength switching capability allows the AMQW C³ lasers to be used in real-time OCT and other applications needing wavelength agile sources.     

Ultrahigh-resolution full-field optical coherence tomography

We have developed a white-light interference microscope for ultrahigh-resolution full-field optical coherence tomography of biological media. The experimental setup is based on a Linnik-type interferometer illuminated by a tungsten halogen lamp. En face tomographic images are calculated by a combination of interferometric images recorded by a high-speed CCD camera. Spatial resolution of 1.8 microm x 0.9 microm (transverse x axial) is achieved owing to the extremely short coherence length of the source, the compensation of dispersion mismatch in the interferometer arms, and the use of relatively high-numerical-aperture microscope objectives. A shot-noise-limited detection sensitivity of 90 dB is obtained in an acquisition time per image of 4 s. Subcellular-level images of plant, animal, and human tissues are presented.     

Parallel optical coherence tomography system

We present the design and procedures for implementing a parallel optical coherence tomography (POCT) imaging system that can be adapted to an endoscopic format. The POCT system consists of a single mode fiber (SMF) array with multiple reduced diameter (15 microm) SMFs in the sample arm with 15 microm center spacing between fibers. The size of the array determines the size of the transverse imaging field. Electronic scanning eliminates the need for mechanically scanning in the lateral direction. Experimental image data obtained with this system show the capability for parallel axial scan acquisition with lateral resolution comparable to mechanically scanned optical coherence tomography systems.     

线聚焦光学相干层析术的研究

提出了一种高速光学相干层析(OCT)成像技术方案。利用柱面镜的成像特性将传统OCT的点聚焦成像模式改变为线聚焦成像模式,从而降低二维OCT图像的扫描维数,达到提高成像速度的目的。利用ZEMAX光学软件对系统进行光线追迹获得光束经过柱面镜后的聚焦情况。随后采用635nm的激光光源和柱面镜构建了实验系统,实验结果很好地验证了光线追迹仿真结果。     

Multiple scattering in optical coherence microscopy

We show that the multiple-scatter rejection provided by optical coherence microscopy (low-coherence interferometry) can be incomplete in optically turbid media and that multiple scattering manifests itself in two distinct ways. Multiple small-angle scattering results in an effective probe field that is stronger than expected from a first-order beam extinction model, but that contains a distorted wave front that enhances the apparent reflectance of small structures relative to those that are larger than the unscattered incident beam. Multiple wide-angle scattering produces a broad diffuse haze that reduces the contrast of subsequent features.