Targeted radiation treatment using a spectrally selective radiation emitter
First Claim
1. A method for selectively and destructively heating a target in a host, said method comprising irradiating said host with electromagnetic energy at a selected wavelength at which absorption of said energy by said target exceeds absorption of said energy by other substances in said host by a sufficient absorption differential to destructively transform said target with substantially no transformation of said host, by directing radiation to said host from a spectrally selective radiation emitter comprising:
- a housing, a source of electromagnetic radiation disposed within said housing, emitting radiation having wavelengths extending across a continuous spectrum that includes said selected wavelength, and a multi-layer optical coating arranged to intercept radiation from said source of electromagnetic radiation, adjacent layers of said coating differing in refractive index by differentials that alternate between positive and negative such that radiation at wavelengths other than a selected wavelength is reflected back toward said source of electromagnetic radiation, said layers having optical thicknesses and refractive indices selected to produce constructive interference between radiations so reflected, thereby recycling radiative emissions at said other wavelengths back to said source of electromagnetic radiation while allowing radiative emission of said selected wavelength to emerge from said housing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Radiation from a spectrally broad radiation source is reduced to radiation of limited spectral range with high efficiency by an emitter that includes a radiation source and a multilayer optical coating that reflects radiation of certain wavelengths back toward the source, allowing other wavelengths to pass. The multilayer optical coating provides a high efficiency reflectance, thereby minimizing loss of radiation energy despite limiting the escaping energy to one or more narrow selected wavelength bands. The resulting radiation is useful in treating a host to destroy or deactivate undesirable pathogens, cells, or tissues.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for selectively and destructively heating a target in a host, said method comprising irradiating said host with electromagnetic energy at a selected wavelength at which absorption of said energy by said target exceeds absorption of said energy by other substances in said host by a sufficient absorption differential to destructively transform said target with substantially no transformation of said host, by directing radiation to said host from a spectrally selective radiation emitter comprising:
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a housing, a source of electromagnetic radiation disposed within said housing, emitting radiation having wavelengths extending across a continuous spectrum that includes said selected wavelength, and a multi-layer optical coating arranged to intercept radiation from said source of electromagnetic radiation, adjacent layers of said coating differing in refractive index by differentials that alternate between positive and negative such that radiation at wavelengths other than a selected wavelength is reflected back toward said source of electromagnetic radiation, said layers having optical thicknesses and refractive indices selected to produce constructive interference between radiations so reflected, thereby recycling radiative emissions at said other wavelengths back to said source of electromagnetic radiation while allowing radiative emission of said selected wavelength to emerge from said housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A spectrally selective radiation emitter comprising:
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a housing, a hot body source of electromagnetic radiation disposed within said housing, emitting radiation having wavelengths extending across a continuous spectrum that includes said selected wavelength, and a multi-layer optical coating arranged to intercept radiation from said source, adjacent layers of said coating differing in refractive index by differentials that alternate between positive and negative such that radiation at wavelengths other than a selected wavelength is reflected back toward said source, said layers having optical thicknesses and refractive indices selected to produce constructive interference between radiations so reflected, thereby recycling radiative emissions at said other wavelengths back to said solid body source while allowing radiative emission of said selected wavelength to emerge from said housing. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification