Apparatus and method for low coherence ranging
A system, apparatus and method for performing low coherence ranging of a sample with high transverse resolution and large depth of focus can be provided. For example, an optical ranging system including a light source can be used. Certain exemplary arrangement can be provided, e.g., a first arrangement for directing light from the light source to the sample, a second arrangement for directing reflected light from the sample to a detector, at least one detector, and a third arrangement for processing light data received by the detector and which generates an image can be utilized. Further, for example, an optical element can be provided which can have a transverse resolution defined as .Δris less than or equal to about μ5 m, and a depth of focus Δz of at least about 50 μm.
1. An apparatus for imaging at least a portion of a sample, comprising:
a first interferometric arrangement providing an electro-magnetic radiation; and
a second arrangement configured to receive the electro-magnetic radiation, and configured to generate a resultant electro-magnetic intensity distribution,
wherein, along a particular direction, the intensity distribution is approximately constant for at least a predetermined distance, and wherein a wavelength of the electro-magnetic radiation remains approximately the same for at least the predetermined distance at which the intensity distribution is approximately constant.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second arrangement is an optical arrangement which is configured to optically image the sample.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second arrangement is an axicon lens.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second arrangement is a defractive optical element.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second arrangement is an annulus.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second arrangement includes a combination of a diffractive element and a lens.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second arrangement includes at least one of an apodized lens or a diffractive element.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the intensity distribution is a Bessel beam.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a third arrangement adapted to cooperate with the second arrangement so as to translate at least one of the intensity distribution and the sample.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the translation of the at least one of the intensity distribution and the sample produces an image which has 2 or more dimensions.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the intensity distribution having a transverse resolution of a full width at half maximum is less than 10 μm.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined distance is at least 50 μm.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the intensity distribution includes a non-Gaussian distribution.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a fourth arrangement configured to received information that is associated with the intensity distribution, and display an image based on the received information.
15. An apparatus for imaging at least a portion of a sample, comprising:
a first interferometric arrangement providing an electro-magnetic radiation; and
a second arrangement configured to receive the electro-magnetic radiation, and configured to generate a resultant electro-magnetic intensity distribution,
wherein, along a particular direction, widths of at least two sections of the intensity distribution are approximately the same, and wherein a wavelength of the electro-magnetic radiation remains approximately the same for at least the at least two sections of the intensity distribution.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the particular direction is approximately a vertical direction.
17. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the second arrangement includes a plurality of lenses.
18. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein one of the sections is at least partially above another one of the sections.
19. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the intensity distribution having a transverse resolution of a full width at half maximum is less than 10 μm.
20. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the intensity distribution includes a non-Gaussian distribution.
21. The apparatus according to claim 20 , wherein a translation of the at least one of the intensity distribution or the sample produces an image which has 2 or more dimensions.
22. The apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising a third arrangement adapted to cooperate with the second arrangement so as to translate at least one of the intensity distribution and the sample.
23. A method for imaging at least a portion of a sample, comprising:
a) providing an electro-magnetic radiation using an interferometric arrangement;
b) receiving the electro-magnetic radiation and generating a resultant electro-magnetic intensity distribution, wherein, along a particular direction, the intensity distribution is approximately constant for at least a predetermined distance, and wherein a wavelength of the electro-magnetic radiation remains approximately the same for at least the predetermined distance at which the intensity distribution is approximately constant.
24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein step (b) is performed using an optical arrangement which is configured to optically image the sample.
25. The method according to claim 23 , wherein step (b) is performed using an axicon lens.
26. The method according to claim 23 , wherein step (b) is performed using a defractive optical element.
27. The method according to claim 23 , wherein step (b) is performed using an annulus.
28. The method according to claim 23 , wherein step (b) is performed using a combination of a diffractive element and a lens.
29. The method according to claim 23 , wherein step (b) is performed using at least one of an apodized lens or a diffractive element.
30. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the intensity distribution is a Bessel beam.
31. The method according to claim 23 , further comprising translating at least one of the intensity distribution and the sample.
32. The method according to claim 31 , wherein the translation of the at least one of the intensity distribution and the sample produces an image which has 2 or more dimensions.
33. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the intensity distribution having a transverse resolution of a full width at half maximum is less than 10 μm.
34. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the predetermined distance is at least 50 μm.
35. The method according to claim 23 , wherein at least a portion of the intensity distribution includes a non-Gaussian distribution.
36. The method according to claim 23 , further comprising the steps of receiving information that is associated with the intensity distribution; and displaying an image based on the received information.
37. A method for imaging at least a portion of a sample, comprising:
providing an electro-magnetic radiation using an interferometric arrangement; and
receiving the electro-magnetic radiation, and generating a resultant electro-magnetic intensity distribution, wherein, along a particular direction, widths of at least two sections of the intensity distribution are approximately the same, and wherein a wavelength of the electro-macinetic radiation remains approximately the same for at least the at least two sections of the intensity distribution.
38. The method according to claim 37 , wherein step (b) is performed using an optical arrangement which is configured to optically image the sample.
39. The method according to claim 37 , wherein step (b) is performed using an axicon lens.
40. The method according to claim 37 , wherein step (b) is performed using a defractive optical element.
41. The method according to claim 37 , wherein step (b) is performed using an annulus.
42. The method according to claim 37 , wherein step (b) is performed using a combination of a diffractive element and a lens.
43. The method according to claim 37 , wherein step (b) is performed using at least one of an apodized lens or a diffractive element.
44. The method according to claim 37 , wherein the intensity distribution is a Bessel beam.
45. The method according to claim 37 , further comprising translating at least one of the intensity distribution and the sample.
46. The method according to claim 37 , wherein the translation of the at least one of the intensity distribution and the sample produces an image which has 2 or more dimensions.
47. The method according to claim 37 , wherein the intensity distribution having a transverse resolution of a full width at half maximum is less than 10 μm.
48. The method according to claim 37 , wherein the predetermined distance is at least 50 μm.
49. The method according to claim 37 , wherein at least a portion of the intensity distribution includes a non-Gaussian distribution.
50. The method according to claim 37 , further comprising the steps of receiving information that is associated with the intensity distribution; and displaying an image based on the received information.
51. An apparatus for imaging at least a portion of a sample, comprising:
a first interferometric arrangement providing an electro-magnetic radiation; and
a second arrangement provided within the first interferometric arrangement and configured to receive the electro-magnetic radiation, and configured to generate a resultant electro-magnetic intensity distribution,
wherein the second arrangement including a third arrangement which is configured to at least partially block at least one first portion of the electro-magnetic radiation, the third arrangement allowing at least one second portion of the electro-magnetic radiation to be provided in a center of the electro-magnetic radiation to pass there through.
52. The apparatus according to claim 51 , wherein the third arrangement is a masking arrangement which includes a section in a center thereof which allows the at least one second portion to pass there through.
53. An apparatus for imaging at least a portion of a sample, comprising:
a first interferometric arrangement providing an electro-magnetic radiation; and
a second arrangement configured to receive the electro-magnetic radiation, and configured to generate a resultant electro-magnetic intensity distribution,
wherein, along a particular direction, a plurality of focal points of the intensity distribution are generated, and
wherein a wavelength of the electro-magnetic radiation remains approximately the same along the particular direction for the focal points.
54. The apparatus according to claim 53 , wherein, along a particular direction, the intensity distribution is approximately constant for at least a predetermined distance.
55. The apparatus according to claim 53 , wherein the second arrangement includes a plurality of transceiver channels.
56. The apparatus according to claim 55 , wherein each of the channels is situated in an individual waveguide.
57. The apparatus according to claim 56 , wherein at least one of the waveguides is a optical fiber.
58. The apparatus according to claim 56 , wherein the second arrangement includes a plurality of lens, each of the lens being in an optical communication with a separate one of the waveguides.
59. A method for imaging at least a portion of a sample, comprising:
a) providing an electro-magnetic radiation using an interferometric arrangement;
b) at a further arrangement that is provided within the first interferometric arrangement, receiving the electro-magnetic radiation and generating a resultant electro-magnetic intensity distribution, wherein at least one first portion of the electro-magnetic radiation is at least partially blocked by a particular arrangement, and wherein at least one second portion of the electro-magnetic radiation provided in a center of the electro-magnetic radiation is allowed to pass through the particular arrangement.
60. A method for imaging at least a portion of a sample, comprising:
providing an electro-magnetic radiation using an interferometric arrangement; and
receiving the electro-magnetic radiation, and generating a resultant electro-magnetic intensity distribution, wherein, along a particular direction, a plurality of focal points of the intensity distribution are generated, and wherein a wavelength of the electro-magnetic radiation remains approximately the same along the particular direction for the focal points.