Laser-Sustained Plasma Endoscopy Light Source for Small Fibers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current endoscopic light sources face challenges in delivering sufficient light through small diameter fibers, leading to insufficient illumination for minimally invasive and robotic surgeries, as they experience radiance loss and are unable to effectively couple light into fibers smaller than 3 mm, limiting the availability of space for imaging and tool actuation channels.
Innovation Solution
A laser sustained plasma light source is developed, which uses a combination of laser driver units to generate high-intensity light within a sealed chamber filled with ionizable media, such as Xenon or Krypton, creating a plasma that emits collimated light that can be efficiently coupled into small diameter fibers (200-500 micrometers) through a cylindrical or parabolic reflector design, enhancing light delivery and reducing fiber diameter constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional arc lamps are used to illuminate through small diameter fibers, then light delivery is insufficient, but reducing fiber diameter increases radiance loss and coupling difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the light source by using laser-driven plasma instead of conventional arc discharge, achieving higher brightness and radiance that can be effectively coupled into small diameter fibers. The laser-driven plasma produces a more concentrated and intense light source that overcomes the radiance loss inherent in small fiber coupling
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the light generation (laser-driven plasma in a chamber) from the light delivery (optical fiber), allowing optimization of each component independently. The plasma chamber can be designed for maximum radiance while the fiber diameter is minimized for better surgical access, with optical coupling elements bridging the two
2Volume of moving object
If fiber diameter is reduced to increase space for imaging and tool channels, then light coupling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By changing to a laser-driven plasma light source with significantly higher brightness and smaller effective source size, the system achieves better etendue matching with small diameter fibers, improving coupling efficiency despite the reduced fiber size
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional arc lamp geometry to a laser-driven plasma configuration that concentrates light emission in a smaller spatial volume, enabling more effective coupling into the reduced-dimensional small diameter fibers while maintaining sufficient light delivery
3Illumination intensity
If conventional light sources are used, then sufficient illumination cannot be achieved through small fibers, but switching to laser-driven plasma increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical arc discharge system with an optical laser-driven plasma system. This substitution enables higher brightness and better coupling to small fibers, as the laser can be precisely focused to create a compact, intense plasma source that is more efficient at illuminating through small diameter fibers
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 solution enables high brightness light delivery through small diameter fibers, increasing the available space for imaging and laser delivery channels, and provides a noise-free image by coupling significant levels of light into fibers smaller than 3 mm, making procedures possible that were previously not feasible with current technology.
Implementation Method 1
A laser sustained plasma light source is developed, which uses a combination of laser driver units to generate high-intensity light within a sealed chamber filled with ionizable media
Implementation Method 2
creating a plasma that emits collimated light that can be efficiently coupled into small diameter fibers
Implementation Method 3
uses a combination of laser driver units to generate high-intensity light within a sealed chamber filled with ionizable media, such as Xenon or Krypton, creating a plasma
Implementation Method 4
through a cylindrical or parabolic reflector design, enhancing light delivery
Data Source
AI summary
An illumination source includes a laser driver unit configured to emit a plasma sustaining beam. An ingress collimator receives the plasma sustaining beam and produces a collimated ingress beam. A focusing optic receives the collimated ingress beam and produce a focused sustaining beam. A sealed lamp chamber contains an ionizable media that, once ignited, forms a high intensity light emitting plasma having a waist size smaller than 150 microns. The sealed lamp chamber further includes an ingress window configured to receive the focused sustaining beam and an egress window configured to emit the high intensity light. An ignition source is configured to ignite the ionizable media, and an exit fiber is configured to receive and convey the high intensity light. The high intensity light is white light with a black body spectrum, and the exit fiber has a diameter in the range of 200-500 micrometers.