Rapid scanning optical delay line based on a diffraction grating pair for a low-coherence reflectometer.

We present a simple low-coherence time-domain interferometric reflectometer with a rapidly scanning optical delay line (RSODL) based on a non-parallel diffraction grating (DG) pair. The novelty of the solution is that the lightwave in the reference channel is focused on a galvo-mirror in a sub-mm static spot, which allows implementation of fast microelectromechanical systems scan optics. It is shown that the DG pair can be operated as a non-dispersive element that provides dynamic group delay of a reference lightwave. The DG pair system is also capable of tuning the RSODL dispersion from negative to positive values. The experimental depth range in air was obtained as large as 2.5 mm for axial resolution of 20 μm.