System and method utilizing guided fluorescence for high intensity applications

• US 20060282137A1
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cutera Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cutera Incorporated
• Inventors: Gollnick, David A., MacFarland, Dean A., Spooner, Gregory J., Nightingale, John L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,998,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/203 applying laser energy to the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00452 Skin
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0003 the light guides being doped with fluorescent agents
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4298 coupling with non-coherent light sources and/or radiation detectors, e.g. lamps, incandescent bulbs, scintillation chambers

Abstract

A fluorescence concentrator system that provides for high brightness light source. The system can include a host doped with fluorescent material, which is optically pumped by an adjacent illumination source. The fluorescence concentrator captures a portion of the isotropically emitted fluorescent light and guides it to an output surface. The fluorescent energy emerging the output surface provides a high brightness light source suitable for a number of applications. For example, the fluorescence concentrator system can be used as the light source in a medical apparatus suitable for various aesthetic procedures. Further aspects of the fluorescent concentrator system can include providing for controlling the illumination source to output pumping energy suitable for high energy applications.

Claims

1. A fluorescence concentrator system comprising:

an illumination source for generating pump light; and

a body which includes a fluorophore, said body being positioned to receive the pump energy from the illumination source, and wherein the fluorophore outputs fluorescent energy in response to the pump energy and wherein the body is shaped to concentrate at least a fraction of the fluorescent energy to an output surface of the body, the fraction of the fluorescence energy at the output surface being transmitted from the output surface as a therapeutic energy and wherein the spectral intensity of the fluorescent energy at the output surface of the body is greater than the spectral intensity of the pump light.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a reflective structure surrounding at least a portion of the illumination source and a portion of the body.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination source includes a flashlamp.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the illumination source includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.

5. The system of claim 1, further including an optical delivery module which receives the therapeutic energy from the output surface and transmits it to an area of tissue to be treated.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the output surface has a first area, and wherein the body includes a second area which receives the pump light, and wherein the second area is greater than the first area.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first area is less than one-tenth of the second area.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the body has a substantially cylindrical shape and the output surface is defined by a first end of the cylindrical shape.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the body includes a core which has a first index of refraction and the body includes a cladding which surrounds the core, and the cladding has a second index of refraction, and wherein the first index of refraction is greater than the second index of refraction.

10. The system claim 1, wherein the therapeutic energy has a spectral intensity at least 50 times greater than the spectral intensity of the pump energy.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapeutic energy has an intensity of at least 10 W/cm².

12. A fluorescence concentrator system comprising:

at least one illumination source for generating pump light; and

a plurality of bodies, each of which includes a fluorophore, each body positioned to receive the pump energy from the illumination source, and wherein the fluorophore outputs fluorescent energy in response to the pump energy and wherein each body is shaped to concentrate at least a fraction of the fluorescent energy to an output surface of the body, and wherein the fraction of the fluorescence energy at the output surfaces is transmitted therefrom as a therapeutic energy.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the output surfaces are bundled so that the collective output defines a line.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the output surfaces are bundled so that the collective output defines a circle.

15. The system of claim 12, further including a reflective structure surrounding at least a portion of the illumination source and a portion of each of the bodies.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the illumination source includes a flashlamp.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein the illumination source includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the output surface of each body has a first area, and wherein the body includes a second area which receives the pump light, and wherein the second area is at least ten times greater than the first area

19. The system of claim 12, wherein each body has a substantially cylindrical shape and the output surface is defined by a first end of the cylindrical shape.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein each body includes a core which has a first index of refraction and the body includes a cladding which surrounds the core, and the cladding has a second index of refraction, and wherein the first index of refraction is greater than the second index of refraction.

21. The system claim 12, wherein the therapeutic energy has a spectral intensity at least 50 times greater than the spectral intensity of the pump energy.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the therapeutic energy has an intensity of at least 10 W/cm².

23. A method of applying a treatment to an area of tissue, the method comprising:

applying a pump energy to a plurality of bodies each of which contains a fluorophore, and wherein the fluorophore generates energy in response to the pump energy, and with each body being shaped to concentrate at least a fraction of the fluorescent energy to an output surface of the body; and

transmitting the fraction of the fluorescent energy through the output surfaces of the bodies to an area of tissue being treated.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the output surfaces are bundled so that the collective output defines a line.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the output surfaces are bundled so that the collective output defines a circle.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the illumination source includes a flashlamp.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein each body has a substantially cylindrical shape and the output surface is defined by a first end of the cylindrical shape.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein each body includes a core which has a first index of refraction and each body includes a cladding which surrounds the core, and the cladding has a second index of refraction, and wherein the first index of refraction is greater than the second index of refraction.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the therapeutic energy has a spectral intensity at least 50 times greater than the spectral intensity of the pump energy.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the therapeutic energy has an intensity of at least 10 W/cm².