Construction of SS-OCT system introduced with quantum-dot-based swept light source(Fostering Joint International Research)

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16KK0130
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Crystal engineering
• Research Institution: Wakayama University
• Principal Investigator: Ozaki Nobuhiko 和歌山大学, システム工学部, 准教授 (30344873)
• Project Period (FY): 2017 – 2019
• Keywords: 量子ドット

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We conducted an international collaborative study with the UK research groups at the University of Glasgow and University of Sheffield to develop a tunable laser using self-assembled InAs quantum dots (QDs). Self-assembled InAs QDs possess an inherent size distribution that results in the near-infrared (NIR) broadband gain spectrum, thereby facilitating NIR broadband tunable laser applications for swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) light sources. We characterized the dependence of the resultant InAs QD-based tunable laser on the operation temperature and injection current, and demonstrated its feasibility for SS-OCT light source applications.

Free Research Field

半導体結晶工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によって、我々が基課題にて開発した自己組織化InAs量子ドット(QD)ベースの波長掃引光源(QD-SS)の特性が示され、光コヒーレンストモグラフィー(OCT)光源応用の実用性が明確になった。この研究成果から、今後QD-SSのOCT応用が加速し、従来のOCTを超えた性能を有する医療診断ツール開発や、半導体ベースの特長を活かした小型・軽量なOCT開発などの新たな展開に繋がっていくことが期待される。