Optimization of galvanometer scanning for optical coherence tomography.

We study experimentally the effective duty cycle of galvanometer-based scanners (GSs) with regard to three main parameters of the scanning process: theoretical/imposed duty cycle (of the input signal), scan frequency, and scan amplitude. Sawtooth and triangular input signals for the device are considered. The effects of the mechanical inertia of the oscillatory element of the GS are analyzed and their consequences are discussed in the context of optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. When the theoretical duty cycle and the scan amplitude are increased to the limit, the saturation of the device is demonstrated for a useful range of scan frequencies by direct measurement of the position of the galvomirror. Investigations of OCT imaging of large samples also validate this saturation, as examplified by the gaps/blurred portions obtained between neighboring images when using both triangular and sawtooth scanning at high scan frequencies. For this latter aspect, the necessary overlap between neighboring B-scans, and therefore between the corresponding volumetric reconstructions of the sample, are evaluated and implemented with regard to the same parameters of the scanning process. OCT images that are free of these artifacts are thus obtained.