Significance: Our work advances the development of fiber-based polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) by stabilizing the output polarization state of the light beam when the system is under environmental disturbance. While the fiber-based PS-OCT has been demonstrated previously, it remains a challenge for the traditional fiber-based PS-OCT to obtain a stable measurement when the optic fibers are disturbed by the environment. This important issue is addressed, paving the path for clinical translation of PS-OCT, which can provide a unique perspective of the biological samples. Aim: Polarization maintaining common-path (CP) interferometer is fabricated with the goal of providing a stable fiber-based PS-OCT imaging system that is only responsive to the polarization changes generated by the sample, immune to environmental conditions. Approach: The system is implemented by incorporating a CP interferometer together with polarization maintaining (PM) fibers. The PM fibers are used to preserve the two orthogonal linearly polarized components of the light during propagation. By sharing the CP in the sample and reference arms, any variations in phase retardation can be eliminated between the two channels in the PM fibers. The combination of the PM fiber and the CP interferometer ensures the stability of the output polarization state. Results: The stability of the proposed PS-OCT system is tested when a periodically stressed disturbance is applied to the fibers within the system. Stable in vivo PS-OCT images of the mouse thigh are demonstrated. Conclusions: We have demonstrated a stable fiber-based PS-OCT system that combined the PM fiber and the CP configuration together. We have shown that the output polarization states and the system sensitivity can keep stable over time under the environmental disturbances to the system.

中文翻译：

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使用保偏共径干涉仪的稳定光纤偏振敏感光学相干断层扫描

意义：我们的工作通过在系统受到环境干扰时稳定光束的输出偏振态，推动了基于光纤的偏振敏感光学相干断层扫描 (PS-OCT) 的发展。虽然之前已经证明了基于光纤的 PS-OCT，但传统的基于光纤的 PS-OCT 在光纤受到环境干扰时获得稳定的测量仍然是一个挑战。这一重要问题得到解决，为 PS-OCT 的临床转化铺平了道路，可以提供生物样本的独特视角。目的：制造保偏共径 (CP) 干涉仪的目的是提供稳定的基于光纤的 PS-OCT 成像系统，该系统仅对样品产生的偏振变化做出响应，不受环境条件的影响。方法：该系统是通过将 CP 干涉仪与保偏 (PM) 光纤结合在一起来实现的。PM 光纤用于在传播过程中保留光的两个正交线性偏振分量。通过共享样品臂和参考臂中的 CP，可以消除 PM 光纤中两个通道之间的任何相位延迟变化。PM光纤和CP干涉仪的结合保证了输出偏振态的稳定性。结果：当对系统内的光纤施加周期性应力扰动时，测试了建议的 PS-OCT 系统的稳定性。展示了小鼠大腿的稳定体内 PS-OCT 图像。结论：我们已经展示了一种稳定的基于光纤的 PS-OCT 系统，它将 PM 光纤和 CP 配置结合在一起。我们已经表明，在系统受到环境干扰的情况下，输出偏振态和系统灵敏度可以随时间保持稳定。