A thermal light source technique for optical coherence tomography

A new technique for optical coherence tomography imaging with spatially low -coherent light sources is presented. In this technique the low coherence i nterferometry (LCI) depth-scan is performed by the image of the light sourc e, and, therefore, simultaneously by a multitude of mutually incoherent LCI channels, to increase the probe beam power. Thermal light sources have the advantage of extremely low time-coherence with coherence lengths in the 1 mum range. The performance of a tungsten halogen lamp with a thermal spectr um and a xenon are lamp with broadened spectral lines superimposed on a the rmal continuum are compared. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.