Abstract. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) has a broad range of applications in 2D and volumetric imaging of micron scale structures typically used on inaccessible objects such as the retina of the eye. This report focuses on Swept Source OCT (SS-OCT), favoured for its faster scanning speeds and therefore faster data acquisition (highly favourable when imaging live patients). SS-OCT relies on the scanning of a narrow laser line at speeds typically in excess of 100 kHz. We have employed Zemax TM ray tracing software to simulate one method of splitting the spectrum of a broadband, near-infrared source, into its component wavelengths by reflecting the spectrum from an off-axis, 72-facet polygon mirror at a frequency of 48 kHz. We specifically addressed the geometric and radiometric vignetting associated with the reflected spectrum off an individual mirrored facet and how this may impose limitations to the incident beam size and hence lead to a loss in the power available from the source. It was found that for certain configurations up to 44% of the light was lost at the edges of the spectrum due to both radiometric and geometric vignetting, which may result in an effective swept range of <50 nm from an initial bandwidth of 100 nm. Our simulations account for real refractive errors and losses in the beam caused by lens aberrations, and produce a model of the sampling function of wavelength against time.

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Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography (SS-OCT) relies on the rapid tuning of a broadband light source to produce narrow laser linewidths. Imaging speed is governed by the sweeping frequency of the source and the axial resolution is given by the total bandwidth generated. Mechanical, free space methods, employing rotating polygonal mirrors with a pair of telescopically arranged lenses, can achieve tuning speeds in excess of 100 kHz. Their success relies upon maximising the light throughput of the swept spectrum by reducing the effects of aberration and vignetting caused by the lens design and the geometrical properties of the polygon respectively. However, these properties impose constrictions on the spectral filter's design and care must be taken when building the filter to avoid unnecessarily limiting the performance of the system. This paper presents some of the initial stages of a much larger study into the optimisation of such systems. Theoretical work has been confirmed by experimental observations and compared with ideal simulations for a spectral filter consisting of a dispersive element, a double lens telescope, arranged in a Littman configuration, and a 72-facet, offaxis polygon mirror with end reflector. A non-linear relationship between the linewidth's location on the telescope in time with the rotation of the polygon was observed and a first approximation for the tuned wavelength with respect to the polygon rotation angle was found. These observations, coupled with ongoing research, will lead to a complete description of polygon based scanners and how their performance can be optimised in future designs.