TDMS: An open source Time Domain Maxwell Solver for simulations in biomedical optics

Abstract

Realistic simulation of light propagation in biological tissue is of great use in many biomedical optical imaging applications. For example, simulation of image formation in optical coherence tomography is useful for applications such as training researchers and clinicians, image interpretation and technique development. Simulation of image formation in multi-photon microscopy is powerful for understanding the limitations of such techniques, and understanding novel approaches such as spatiotemporal focusing. Such models usually require specialised knowledge of numerical techniques for solving Maxwell's equations, and for modelling optical systems. The Time Domain Maxwell Solver (TDMS) is a freely available, open source package, aimed at making such simulations accessible to researchers throughout the biomedical optics community. TDMS is based on the finite difference time domain (FDTD) and pseudo spectral time domain (PSTD) methods, and includes functionallity required to model optical systems typically found in OCT and microscopy systems. TDMS includes several simulation examples aimed at making the software more accessible.