Interferometer for carrying out an optical coherence tomography
The invention relates to an interferometer for carrying out an optical coherence tomography. The interferometer has at least one first part ( 13 ) and a second part ( 14 ) which are arranged or can be arranged in a spatially separated manner, wherein the two parts ( 13, 14 ) are optically connected together by at least one optical fiber ( 8 ). The aim of the invention is to provide an interferometer comprising parts which are optically connected by at least one fiber and which can be moved relative to each other, said parts and fiber being as insusceptible as possible to polarization changes induced by movement and temperature changes. The invention is characterized in that the optical fiber ( 8 ) is designed as a polarizing fiber which prefers the propagation of a first light wave with a set first polarization state or polarization mode and impedes the propagation of second light waves with different polarization states or polarization modes than those of the first light wave.
1 . An interferometer for carrying out optical coherence tomography, wherein the interferometer has at least one first part and one second part, which are spatially separate from one another, and wherein the first part and the second part are movable relative to one another, and wherein the two parts are optically connected to one another by at least one light-conducting fiber,
wherein the connecting light-conducting fiber is designed as a polarizing fiber, which favors the propagation of a specific polarization state or polarization mode and obstructs or suppresses the propagation of other polarization states or polarization modes;
wherein a first beam splitter is provided, with which the light of a light source is split into light of a reference arm and light of the sample arm;
wherein two polarization setting units are provided, with which the light of the reference arm and the light of the sample arm is each converted or transformed into identically polarized light waves,
wherein a first polarization setting unit is inserted before the polarizing fiber and in the course of a single-mode fiber of the sample arm, and
wherein a second polarization setting unit is placed in the reference arm.
2 . The interferometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polarizing fiber is designed having a bow-tie structure generating birefringence.
3 . The interferometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polarizing fiber is designed having a tiger structure generating birefringence.
4 . The interferometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polarizing fiber is designed having an elliptical structure generating birefringence.
5 . The interferometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the polarizing fiber is designed having a Panda structure generating birefringence.
6 . The interferometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one circulator is provided, by means of which the light of the sample arm can be guided in the direction of a sample and/or by means of which the light of the reference arm can be guided to a reference point and/or a second beam splitter.
7 . The interferometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a second beam splitter is provided to bring the light waves of the sample arm and the reference arm into interference.
8 . The interferometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the single-mode fiber terminates at one end in the polarizing fiber and at its other end in the first beam splitter.
9 . The interferometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the single-mode fiber terminates at one end in the polarizing fiber and at its other end into a circulator.
10 . The interferometer as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the fiber is accommodated in a flexible tube cable, which extends between the two parts.