PhotoniX, Volume. 5, Issue 1, 31(2024)

CMOS optoelectronic spectrometer based on photonic integrated circuit for in vivo 3D optical coherence tomography

Anja Agneter1、†, Paul Muellner2、†, Quang Nguyen1, Dana Seyringer3, Elisabet A. Rank1, Marko Vlaskovic4, Jochen Kraft4, Martin Sagmeister4, Stefan Nevlacsil2, Moritz Eggeling2, Alejandro Maese-Novo2, Yevhenii Morozov2, Nicole Schmitner5, Robin A. Kimmel5, Ernst Bodenstorfer2, Pietro Cipriano4, Horst Zimmermann6, Rainer A. Leitgeb1, Rainer Hainberger2, and Wolfgang Drexler1、*
Author Affiliations
  • 1Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20/4 L, Vienna 1090, Austria
  • 2AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Gieffinggasse 4, Vienna 1210, Austria
  • 3Research Centre for Microtechnology, Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences, Hochschulstrasse 1, Dornbirn, 6850 Vorarlberg, Austria
  • 4ams OSRAM, Tobelbader Strasse 30, Premstaetten, 8141 Styria, Austria
  • 5Institute of Molecular Biology/CMBI, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, Innsbruck, 6020 Tyrol, Austria
  • 6Institute of Electrodynamics, Microwave and Circuit Engineering, TU Wien, Gußhausstraße 25/354, Vienna, 1040 Vienna, Austria
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    Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) represent a promising technology for the much-needed medical devices of today. Their primary advantage lies in their ability to integrate multiple functions onto a single chip, thereby reducing the complexity, size, maintenance requirements, and costs. When applied to optical coherence tomography (OCT), the leading tool for state-of-the-art ophthalmic diagnosis, PICs have the potential to increase accessibility, especially in scenarios, where size, weight, or costs are limiting factors. In this paper, we present a PIC-based CMOS-compatible spectrometer for spectral domain OCT with an unprecedented level of integration. To achieve this, we co-integrated a 512-channel arrayed waveguide grating with electronics. We successfully addressed the challenge of establishing a connection from the optical waveguides to the photodiodes monolithically co-integrated on the chip with minimal losses achieving a coupling efficiency of 70%. With this fully integrated PIC-based spectrometer interfaced to a spectral domain OCT system, we reached a sensitivity of 92dB at an imaging speed of 55kHz, with a 6dB signal roll-off occurring at 2mm. We successfully applied this innovative technology to obtain 3D in vivo tomograms of zebrafish larvae and human skin. This ground-breaking fully integrated spectrometer represents a significant step towards a miniaturised, cost-effective, and maintenance-free OCT system.

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    Anja Agneter, Paul Muellner, Quang Nguyen, Dana Seyringer, Elisabet A. Rank, Marko Vlaskovic, Jochen Kraft, Martin Sagmeister, Stefan Nevlacsil, Moritz Eggeling, Alejandro Maese-Novo, Yevhenii Morozov, Nicole Schmitner, Robin A. Kimmel, Ernst Bodenstorfer, Pietro Cipriano, Horst Zimmermann, Rainer A. Leitgeb, Rainer Hainberger, Wolfgang Drexler. CMOS optoelectronic spectrometer based on photonic integrated circuit for in vivo 3D optical coherence tomography[J]. PhotoniX, 2024, 5(1): 31

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    Paper Information

    Category: Research Articles

    Received: Jul. 18, 2024

    Accepted: Oct. 7, 2024

    Published Online: Jan. 23, 2025

    The Author Email: Drexler Wolfgang (wolfgang.drexler@meduniwien.ac.at)

    DOI:10.1186/s43074-024-00150-7

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