Applying RGB LED in full-field optical coherence tomography for real-time full-color tissue imaging.

A conventional handheld skin camera is suitable for 2D inspection of shallow skin. Due to its high resolution and noninvasiveness, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has become a popular medical-imaging technology. Among OCT schemes, full-field optical coherence tomography (FF-OCT) is suitable for rapid en face imaging, as it uses a 2D imaging device for pixel processing of a sample plane. Because of its wide bandwidth and long lifetime, an RGB LED was chosen in an FF-OCT system among three source candidates in this study. A full-color tissue image and real-time video were obtained from the system to demonstrate the potential of the RGB LED FF-OCT system in medical imaging. All devices used here can be integrated by micro-optoelectromechanical technology into a handheld model. Noninvasive, real-time, full-color handheld imaging capability contributes to advance dermatology and cosmetology.

Demonstration of arbitrary channel selection utilizing a pulse-injected semiconductor laser with a phase-locked loop.

An arbitrary channel selection system based on a pulse-injected semiconductor laser with a phase-locked loop (PLL) is experimentally demonstrated and characterized. Through optical injection from a tunable laser, channels formed by the frequency components of a microwave frequency comb generated in the pulse-injected semiconductor laser are individually selected and enhanced. Selections of a primary channel at the fundamental frequency of 1.2 GHz and a secondary channel in a range from 10.8 to 18 GHz are shown, where the selection is done by adjusting the injection strength from the tunable laser. Suppression ratios of 44.5 and 25.9 dB between the selected primary and secondary channels to the averaged magnitude of the unwanted channels are obtained, respectively. To show the spectral quality of the pulse-injected laser, a single sideband (SSB) phase noise of -60 dBc/kHz at an offset frequency of 25 kHz is measured. Moreover, the conversion gain between the primary and secondary channels and the crosstalk between the selected channels to the adjacent unwanted channels are also investigated. Without the need of expensive external modulators, arbitrary channel selection is realized in the proposed system where the channel spacing and selection can be continuously adjusted through tuning the controllable laser parameters.

Demonstration of ultra-wideband (UWB) over fiber based on optical pulse-injected semiconductor laser.

We experimentally demonstrated the ultra-wideband (UWB) signal generation utilizing nonlinear dynamics of an optical pulse-injected semiconductor laser. The UWB signals generated are fully in compliant with the FCC mask for indoor radiation, while a large fractional bandwidth of 93% is achieved. To show the feasibility of UWB-over-fiber, transmission over a 2 km single-mode fiber and a wireless channel utilizing a pair of broadband antennas are examined. Moreover, proof of concept experiment on data encoding and decoding with 250 Mb/s in the optical pulse-injected laser is successfully demonstrated.

Microwave-frequency-comb generation utilizing a semiconductor laser subject to optical pulse injection from an optoelectronic feedback laser.

Microwave frequency combs are generated by optically injecting a semiconductor laser (slave) with repetitive pulses from an optoelectronic feedback laser (master). By varying the delay time, regular pulsing states with different pulsing frequencies are generated in the master laser. The pulsing output is then optically injected into the slave laser to produce desired microwave frequency combs. Microwave frequency combs with broad bandwidths and low nonharmonic spurious noise are demonstrated experimentally. To analyze their stabilities and spectral purities, single-sideband phase noise of each microwave frequency comb line is measured. Noise suppression of the microwave frequency comb relative to the injected regular pulsing state is also investigated.

Ultra broadband microwave frequency combs generated by an optical pulse-injected semiconductor laser.

We have demonstrated and characterized the generation of ultra broadband microwave frequency combs with an optical pulse-injected semiconductor laser. Through optical pulse injection, the microwave frequency combs generated in the slave laser (SL) have bandwidths greater than 20 GHz within a +/-5 dB amplitude variation, which is almost 3-fold of the 7 GHz relaxation oscillation frequency of the laser used. The line spacing of the comb is tunable from 990 MHz to 2.6 GHz, determined by the repetition frequency of the injection optical pulses produced by the master laser (ML) with optoelectronic feedback. At an offset frequency of 200 kHz, a single sideband (SSB) phase noise of -60 dBc/kHz (-90 dBc/Hz estimated) in the 1(st) harmonic is measured while a noise suppression relative to the injected regular pulsing state of the ML of more than 25 dB in the 17(th) harmonic is achieved. A pulsewidth of 29 ps and a ms timing jitter of 18.7 ps are obtained in the time domain for the microwave frequency comb generated. Further stabilization is realized by modulating the ML at the fundamental frequency of the injected regular pulsing state. The feasibility of utilizing the generated microwave frequency comb in frequency conversion and signal broadcasting is also explored. The conversion gain of each channel increases linearly as the signal power increases with a ratio of about 0.81 dB/dBm.