Fiber-based mode mixing techniques for surgical laser illumination

• US 10,687,912 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2018
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Inventors: Dos Santos, Cesario, Bacher, Gerald David, Smith, Ronald, Mirsepassi, Alireza, Papac, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sevilla, Christian A
• Application Number:
  US15/882,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20180214237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0231 for eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/22 the beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit, e.g. an optical fibre; Couplings or hand-pieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0008 provided with illuminating means A61B3/117 takes precedence; goniolenses used for laser treatment A61F9/009; illuminating means for optical instruments G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00736 Instruments for removal of intra-ocular material or intra-ocular injection, e.g. cataract instruments A61F9/008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0994 Fibers, light pipes optical fibers per se G02B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/14 Mode converters

Abstract

Fiber-based mode mixing techniques may be used to homogenize different modes in an optical fiber used for surgical illumination. A vibrating fiber mechanism may impart mechanical motion to a portion of the optical fiber to generate a homogeneous illumination field from a coherent light source.

Claims

1. A method for surgical illumination, the method comprising:

projecting first light from a coherent light source into a first optical fiber, the coherent light source used for illumination of a patient during a surgery;

transmitting the first light from the first optical fiber to a fiber mode mixer device, wherein the fiber mode mixer device includes an internal optical fiber receiving the first light and a vibrating fiber mechanism coupled to the internal optical fiber, wherein the first light is homogenized within the internal optical fiber by the vibrating fiber mechanism to generate second light output by the fiber mode mixer device; and

transmitting the second light output from the fiber mode mixer device to a second optical fiber.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the second optical fiber terminates in a third optical fiber that projects the second light output onto the patient;

wherein the surgery is an ophthalmic surgery, and the third optical fiber projects the second light output into an eye of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the coherent light source is a monochromatic laser.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the coherent light source is a plurality of monochromatic lasers combined to generate the first light.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibrating fiber mechanism includes a piezoelectric actuator mechanically coupled to the internal optical fiber.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibrating fiber mechanism includes an electromagnetic actuator mechanically coupled to the internal optical fiber.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibrating fiber mechanism includes a mechatronic actuator mechanically coupled to the internal optical fiber.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibrating fiber mechanism imparts at least one of a reciprocal motion and a circular motion to at least a portion of the internal optical fiber.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the vibrating fiber mechanism imparts a randomized motion to at least a portion of the internal optical fiber.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fiber mode mixer device further comprises:

an input optical connector for connection to the first optical fiber;

an output optical connector for connection to the second optical fiber; and

a power source to power the vibrating fiber mechanism,

wherein the vibrating fiber mechanism causes the internal optical fiber to reciprocate at a frequency greater than 30 Hz.

11. A optical fiber homogenizer device for surgical illumination, the optical fiber homogenizer device comprising:

an input optical connector for connection to a first optical fiber transmitting first light from a coherent light source used for illumination of a patient during a surgery;

an internal optical fiber coupled to the input connector to receive the first light;

a vibrating fiber mechanism mechanically coupled to the internal optical fiber, wherein the first light is homogenized within the internal optical fiber by the vibrating fiber mechanism to generate second light output by the optical fiber homogenizer device; and

an output optical connector for connection to a second optical fiber, the output optical connector receiving the second light output from the internal optical fiber.

12. The optical fiber homogenizer device of claim 11,

wherein the second optical fiber terminates in a third optical fiber that projects the second light output onto the patient;

wherein the surgery is an ophthalmic surgery, and the third optical fiber projects the second light output into an eye of the patient.

13. The optical fiber homogenizer device of claim 11, wherein the coherent light source is a monochromatic laser.

14. The optical fiber homogenizer device of claim 11, wherein the coherent light source is a plurality of monochromatic lasers combined to generate the first light.

15. The optical fiber homogenizer device of claim 11, wherein the vibrating fiber mechanism includes a piezoelectric actuator mechanically coupled to the internal optical fiber.

16. The optical fiber homogenizer device of claim 11, wherein the vibrating fiber mechanism includes an electromagnetic actuator mechanically coupled to the internal optical fiber.

17. The optical fiber homogenizer device of claim 11, wherein the vibrating fiber mechanism includes a mechatronic actuator mechanically coupled to the internal optical fiber.

18. The optical fiber homogenizer device of claim 11, wherein the vibrating fiber mechanism imparts at least one of a reciprocal motion and a circular motion to at least a portion of the internal optical fiber.

19. The optical fiber homogenizer device of claim 11, wherein the vibrating fiber mechanism imparts a randomized motion to at least a portion of the internal optical fiber.

20. The optical fiber homogenizer device of claim 11, wherein the vibration fiber mechanism causes the internal optical fiber to reciprocate at a frequency greater than 30 Hz.