This project innovates in technology for microscopy using the low temporal coherence properties of broadband light sources. Such technology allows imaging up to a few millimeters inside biological tissues up to about 1 micron resolution. Innovative solutions to handle the trade-offs in imaging speed, invariant resolution across the sample, and sample size constitute the focus of our research, together with quantitative image quality assessment in close loop with technology optimization. Main results from this project include optical spectra shaping, less than 2mm in diameter catheter for lung imaging using Bessel beam imaging, dynamic focusing with varifocal optics with no moving parts for skin imaging and the associated Gabor Domain Optical Coherence Microscopy technique achieving micron scale high lateral resolution up to 2 mm into tissue, portable compact electronics, novel instrument for OCT combined two photons absorption spectroscopy, and a framework for task-based image quality assessment.

Additional References

K.S. Lee, Extended Focus Range High Resolution Endoscopic Optical Coherence Tomography, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Central Florida (2008)

S. Murali, Gabor Domain Optical Coherence Microscopy, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Central Florida (2009)