Abstract: Described here are optical sampling architectures and methods for operation thereof. An optical sampling architecture can be capable of emitting a launch sheet light beam towards a launch region and receiving a detection sheet light beam from a detection region. The launch region can have one dimension that is elongated relative to another dimension. The detection region can also have one dimension elongated relative to another dimension such that the system can selectively accept light having one or more properties (e.g., angle of incidence, beam size, beam shape, etc.). In some examples, the elongated dimension of the detection region can be greater than the elongated dimension of the launch region. In some examples, the system can include an outcoupler array and associated components for creating a launch sheet light beam having light rays with different in-plane launch positions and/or in-plane launch angles.