Patent ID: 6992776
Filing Date: 2006-01-31
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
1. A method for imaging a sample, comprising the steps of: forming a low coherent optical radiation; splitting the low coherent optical radiation into a first beam of low coherent optical radiation and a second beam of low coherent optical radiation; splitting the first beam of low coherent optical radiation into a third beam of low coherent optical radiation and a fourth beam of low coherent optical radiation; directing the third beam of low coherent optical radiation towards the sample under study along a bi-directional sampling optical path, wherein the third beam of low coherent optical radiation propagates along the bi-directional sampling optical path in a forward and a backward direction; directing the second beam of low coherent optical radiation and the fourth beam of low coherent optical radiation along a reference optical path, wherein the reference optical path is formed as a reference loop, the second beam of low coherent optical radiation passes through the reference loop in a first direction, and the fourth beam of low coherent optical radiation passes through the reference loop in a second direction; forming a first combination optical radiation by combining the third beam of optical radiation that having passed along the sampling optical path in a forward and a backward direction carries information about the sample with the second beam of optical radiation that has passed through the reference loop in the first direction; forming a second combination optical radiation by combining part of the first combination optical radiation with the fourth beam of optical radiation that has passed through the reference loop in the second direction; and visualizing the intensity of the third beam of optical radiation, that having passed along the sampling optical path carries information about the sample, by using either a signal of interference modulation of the intensity of the first combination optical radiation, or a signal of interference modulation of the intensity of the second combination optical radiation, or both.