Abstract

The optical signal from an image propagating through a highly scattering biomedical sample has ballistic (coherent) and scattering diffusive (incoherent) components. The ballistic component arrives at the detector first and carries image information. The distorted diffusive scattering signal arrives later due to the longer path traveled from multiple scattering. Picosecond time-gated ballistic images of a point source (200 μm diameter) and an Air Force Bar Test Chart (400 μm width) were measured using ultrafast single and multiple stage optical Kerr gate imaging system. When the Kerr gate is synchronized with the arrival time of the ballistic light peak, the ballistic signal is allowed to travel through the gate and rejects the diffusive image light.

© 1991 Optical Society of America