Patent ID: 7742173

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: at least one first arrangement which is configured to provide at least one first electro-magnetic radiation to a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation to a reference, wherein a frequency of radiation provided by the at least one first arrangement varies repetitively over time with a first characteristic period; at least one second arrangement which is configured to repetitively vary a polarization state of at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation, the second electro-magnetic radiation, a third electro-magnetic radiation or a fourth electro-magnetic radiation over time with a second characteristic period; and at least one third arrangement which is configured to provide data for imaging at least one portion of the sample as a function of the polarization state, wherein the third electro-magnetic radiation is associated with the at least one first radiation and the fourth electro-magnetic radiation is associated with the at least one second radiation, and wherein the second period is shorter than the first period.