Autocorrelation Optical Coherence Tomography (Au-OCT) of Complex Morphologies and Moving Samples

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems are renowned for image construction using interferometric signals. While autocorrelation signals are often seen as unwanted artifacts in OCT images, this research diverges by extracting meaningful information from them in order to crate tomographic images. This approach boasts simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and immunity to axial movement during imaging. However, it sacrifices accuracy in reconstructing certain sample characteristics, potentially causing morphological distortions. Nonetheless, valuable structural insights can still be gleaned. Employing Fourier domain-based autocorrelation OCT (Au-OCT) with specific equipment, various samples were scanned under different conditions, including movement. Au-OCT proved resilient to vibrations and minor movements, without the need for an external reference mirror. These results endorse its viability for biological and industrial sample analyses, even in scenarios involving multilayered objects.