A compact high-speed full-field optical coherence microscope for high-resolution in vivo skin imaging

A compact high-speed full-field optical coherence microscope has been developed for high-resolution in vivo imaging of biological tissues. The interferometer, in the Linnik configuration, has a size of 11 x 11 x 5 cm(3) and a weight of 210 g. Full-field illumination with low-coherence light is achieved with a high-brightness broadband light-emitting diode. High-speed full-field detection is achieved by using part of the image sensor of a high-dynamic range CMOS camera. En face tomographic images are acquired at a rate of 50 Hz, with an integration time of 0.9 ms. The image spatial resolution is 0.9 mu m x 1.2 mu m (axial x transverse), over a field of view of 245 x 245 mu m(2). Images of human skin, revealing in-depth cellular-level structures, were obtained in vivo and in real-time without the need for stabilization of the subject. The system can image larger fields, up to 1 x 1 mm(2), but at a reduced depth.