Decentered Fiber Launch for Wide-Angle Endoillumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microsurgical probes are complex, costly, and difficult to discard, with endoilluminators facing challenges in efficiently coupling light to small probe tips for ophthalmic surgery, requiring a wider angular distribution of light without significant illumination loss.
Innovation Solution
An endoilluminator system using a nano-scale optical fiber with a decentered launch of light beams, achieved through a source fiber connector and probe fiber connector alignment that offsets the illumination spot from the center of the nano-scale optical fiber, increasing angular distribution while maintaining coupling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the endoilluminator uses a small gauge probe tip for ophthalmic surgery, then the probe can access small areas without damaging unrelated tissue, but the light coupling efficiency decreases and the angular distribution of light is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by decentering the illumination spot relative to the optical fiber core. Instead of centering the light spot at the fiber core center, the illumination is offset by a distance between 1-10 micrometers, creating an asymmetric launch condition that increases the angular distribution of light while maintaining efficient coupling to the small gauge probe tip
2Length of moving object
If the endoilluminator uses a small gauge probe tip for ophthalmic surgery, then the probe can access small areas without damaging unrelated tissue, but the light coupling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of illumination spot position from centered to decentered relative to the fiber core. By adjusting the lateral offset distance (1-10 micrometers) and potentially the spot size, the system optimizes both coupling efficiency and angular distribution, achieving wide-angle illumination without significant energy loss despite the small probe tip diameter
3Loss of energy
If the illumination spot is centered on the nano-scale optical fiber, then the coupling efficiency is maximized, but the angular distribution of light is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deliberately introduces asymmetry by offsetting the illumination spot from the center of the optical fiber core. This asymmetric launch configuration transforms the symmetric Gaussian mode distribution into a distribution with higher angular content, enabling wide-angle illumination while maintaining acceptable coupling efficiency through optimized offset distances
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration provides wider-angle illumination with substantially equal brightness and equivalent or greater coupling efficiency, making it suitable for ophthalmic microsurgical applications without significant illumination loss.
Implementation Method 1
a nano-scale optical fiber
Data Source
AI summary
An endoilluminator system includes an endoilluminator probe and an illumination source. The endoilluminator probe includes a nano-scale optical fiber and a probe fiber connector, and the illumination source includes a source fiber connector. The illumination source is configured to produce an illumination spot at the source fiber connector having a diameter smaller than a diameter of a fiber core of the nano-scale optical fiber. The probe fiber connector and the source connector are configured when connected to align the illumination spot off-center relative to the nano-scale optical fiber such that the angular distribution of light emitted by the nano-scale optical fiber is increased relative to aligning the illumination spot at a center of the nano-scale optical fiber.