An
optical imaging device includes a reference scanning unit offering a high
signal-to-
noise ratio and capable of scanning an object rapidly. An interference optical
system can be realized inexpensively. In the
optical imaging device, low coherent light passed through an
optical coupler and another
optical coupler, irradiated from an optical
scanner probe, reflected from an observed point in a living tissue, returned to the
optical coupler, propagated over a fourth SM
optical fiber, and routed to another optical coupler shall be referred to as sample light. Light passed through an optical
length variation optical
system via the optical coupler and routed to the optical coupler shall be referred to as reference light. At this time, a difference between a
delay time undergone by the sample light and a
delay time undergone by the reference light is proportional to a difference between an optical length for the sample light and an optical length for the reference light. When the optical length difference falls within a
coherence length, the sample light and reference light interfere with each other. An interfering
signal is acquired into a computer through detectors, a
differential amplifier, a demodulator, and an A / D converter.