Patent ID: 7139078

Claim:
A method for high resolution sub-surface analysis of a target, the method comprising: generating a first repetitive optical signal; broadening the spectral width of said first repetitive optical signal to form a first broadened optical signal; applying at least part of said first broadened optical signal to a target to be analyzed; capturing at least part of said first broadened optical signal returned from the target to form a captured returned broadened optical signal which is a returned optical signal; generating a second repetitive optical signal; broadening the spectral width of said second repetitive optical signal to form a second broadened optical signal which is a reference optical signal; combining the returned optical signal with the reference optical signal; modifying the coherence phase relationship between the returned optical signal and the reference optical signal; detecting an interference signal between the returned optical signal and the reference optical signal; processing the detected interference signals at multiple coherence phase relationships; performing high resolution analysis of the target; and storing the analysis data in non-volatile memory for display, for further analysis, or for future operation of said method.