Patent ID: 7701588
Filing Date: 2010-04-20
Classification: A61B,G01B,G01N,H01S

Abstract:
1. An optical tomography system comprising: a tunable light source including a tunable surface emission laser for generating laser light and periodically scanning an oscillation wavelength of light; a wavelength monitor for generating trigger signals in equal frequency interval of light of said tunable light source within a period of one scanning of said tunable light source; an interferometer for dividing the light from said tunable light source into a reference light and an emission light, and for generating interference light of reflecting light from an object and the reference light; a light receiving element for receiving interference light from said interferometer and for obtaining a beat signal; and a signal processing part for forming a tomography image of said object by executing the Fourier transform synchronizing a timing with an output from said light receiving element and the trigger signal from said wavelength monitor; wherein said tunable surface emission laser includes: a bottom DBR layer formed on a substrate; an active layer formed on said bottom DBR layer; a DBR layer formed on said active layer; a movable DBR layer of a cantilever structure formed over said active layer via a gap; and a driving part for driving said movable DBR layer and for changing a cavity length of a cavity formed between said DBR layer on said active layer and the movable DBR layer.