method for ranging and noise reduction of low coherence interferometry LCI and optical coherence tomography OCT signals by parallel detection of spectral bands

Apparatus and method for increasing the sensitivity in the detection of optical coherence tomography and loW coher ence interferometry (“LCI”) signals by detecting a parallel set of spectral bands, each band being a unique combination of optical frequencies. The LCI broad bandwidth source is split into N spectral bands. The N spectral bands are individually detected and processed to provide an increase in the signal to-noise ratio by a factor of N. Each spectral band is detected by a separate photo detector and ampli?ed. For each spectral band the signal is band pass ?ltered around the signal band by analog electronics and digitized, or, alternatively, the signal may be digitized and band pass ?ltered in software. As a consequence, the shot noise contribution to the signal is reduced by a factor equal to the number of spectral bands. The signal remains the same. The reduction of the shot noise increases the dynamic range and sensitivity of the system.