Ultrahigh-phase-stable swept source based on KTN electro-optic deflector towards Doppler OCT and polarization-sensitive OCT

摘要

We have developed a wavelength-swept laser source with ultrahigh phase stability. Potassium tantalate niobate (KTa_(1-x) Nb_xO_3, KTN) single crystal was employed as an electro-optic deflector for a high-speed wavelength sweep in the laser cavity. A 200-kHz sweep rate was obtained with an average output power of 20 mW and a coherence length of 8 mm at the wavelength range exceeding 100 nm. Since the electro-optic effect in KTN crystal has a fast response of more than 500 MHz, the deflection of a KTN deflector can follow the applied voltage precisely. Considering this advantage, we demonstrated a swept source with ultrahigh phase stability in the 1.3 μm wavelength range as a result of the low-jitter operation of the deflector. The standard deviation of measured timing jitters between adjacent A-lines was confirmed to be less than 78 ps, which corresponds to a phase difference of 0.017 radians at a path difference of 1.5 mm of a Michelson interferometer. The phase stability can be increased with an improved voltage source because the timing jitter is still mainly caused by the voltage applied to KTN. In addition to realizing the phase stability of neighboring A-lines, the long-term stable sweep was demonstrated by eliminating the refresh operation that was previously needed to prevent output power decay. The ultrahigh phase stability we achieved makes our swept source promising for Doppler OCT and polarization-sensitive OCT.