FDML lasers are used in a wide range of applications. In our group they are mainly used in optical coherence tomography with swept sources (SS-OCT). Especially the fast tuning rate, high output power and low intensity noise provide excellent image quality (MHz-OCT). Due to the high tuning rate of several MHz, entire volumes can be displayed with video frame rates in a virtual reality (VR-OCT) or even in an augmented reality (AR). But also in 2D imaging, motion artifacts can be minimized.
FDML lasers have further applications in time coded (TICO) Raman spectroscopy and microscopy. The frequency sweep of an FDML laser is used in this method in combination with a narrow-band, actively modulated pump laser. Due to the difference between the energy differences of the two light sources the Raman spectrum can be measured directly time coded. Furthermore, the working group of Prof. Dr. Sebastian Karpf uses the FDML laser for SLIDE microscopy. By using the FDML laser, the scan speed limitation by the moment of inertia of the galvanometric mirrors can be bypassed and line scan speeds can be increased by orders of magnitude.
In addition the FDML laser is used in many collaborative projects such as Neuro-OCT, UltraLas, NetLas or Heartbeat-OCT.
Further applications were shown in the generation of picosecond pulses, sensing, spectroscopy, micro wave generation or LiDAR outside of our group.
