Patent attributes
An optical coherence tomography device comprises a light generator, a dispersive medium, an optical coupler and a detector. The light generator is adapted to generate a series of input pulses of coherent light, each input pulse having an input pulse width. The dispersive medium has an input that is optically coupled to the light generator and an output for output pulses. The dispersive medium is adapted to stretch the input pulse width to an output pulse width of each of the output pulses by chromatic dispersion. The optical coupler is adapted to couple the output pulses into a reference arm and a sample arm. The optical coupler is further adapted to superimpose light returning from the reference arm and the sample arm. The detector is adapted to detect an intensity of interference of the superimposed light with a temporal resolution of a fraction of the output pulse width.