Compact, low-cost Ti:Al_2O_3 laser for in vivo ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography

A compact, low-cost, prismless $\mathrm{Ti}:{\mathrm{Al}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3$ laser with 176-nm bandwidth (FWHM) and 20-mW output power was developed. Ultrahigh-resolution ophthalmic optical coherence tomography (OCT) ex vivo imaging in an animal model with $\sim 1.2‐\mathit{\mu }\mathrm{m}$ axial resolution and in vivo imaging in patients with macular pathologies with $\sim 3‐\mathit{\mu }\mathrm{m}$ axial resolution were demonstrated. Owing to the pump laser, this light source significantly reduces the cost of broadband OCT systems. Furthermore, the source has great potential for clinical application of spectroscopic and ultrahigh-resolution OCT because of its small footprint ($500 \mathrm{mm}\times 180 \mathrm{mm}$ including the pump laser), user friendliness, stability, and reproducibility.