System and method for fiber optic bundle-based illumination for imaging system

• US 20070154153A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Fomitchov, Pavel
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/115
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/06 the relative position of the fibres being the same at both ends, e.g. for transporting images

Abstract

A system and method for fiber optic bundle-based illumination for an imaging system is disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a fiber optic bundle that comprising a plurality of optical fibers. Each optical fiber receives light from a light source. The system also includes a beam forming element that selects a mode of operation for the imaging system. The system further includes a beam deflecting device that deflects the light on a sample. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method includes the steps of (1) selecting a mode of operation for the imaging system; (2) transmitting light from at least one light source through a fiber optic bundle, the fiber optic bundle comprising a plurality of optical fibers; (3) providing a beam forming element based on the selected mode of operation; and (4) deflecting the focused light on a sample.

Claims

24. A method for fiber optic bundle-based illumination for an imaging system, comprising:

selecting a mode of operation for the imaging system;

transmitting light from at least one light source through a fiber optic bundle, the fiber optic bundle comprising a plurality of optical fibers;

providing a beam forming element based on the selected mode of operation; and

deflecting the focused light on a sample.

1. A system for fiber optic bundle-based illumination for an imaging system, comprising:

a fiber optic bundle, the fiber optic bundle comprising a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber receiving light from a light source;

a beam forming element that selects a mode of operation for the imaging system; and

a beam deflecting device that deflects the light on a sample.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a beam collimator that collimates the light;

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers in the fiber optic bundle are selected from the group consisting of multimode optical fibers, single mode optical fibers, and combinations thereof.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers in the fiber optic bundle are selected from the group consisting of polarization maintaining optical fibers, photonic crystal optical fibers, and combinations thereof.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers at an output end of the fiber optic bundle are axially offset with respect to an axis of the fiber optic bundle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers at an output end of the fiber optic bundle are arranged in a pattern selected from the group consisting of a single line, multiple lines, a cross, a circle, and a rectangle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers at an output end of the fiber optic bundle are uniformly spaced.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a spacing between cores of the optical fibers at an output end of the fiber optic bundle is reduced by at least one of chemical etching, partial cladding removal, tapering, and fusing.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the ends of the optical fibers have a geometry selected from the group consisting of normal to an optical axis of the optical fibers, at an angle to the optical axis of the optical fibers at an output end of the fiber optic bundle, and spherical.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers in the fiber optic bundle are combined into an optical connector at an output end of the fiber optic bundle.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a device that modifies optical parameters of the transmitted light;

wherein the device that modifies optical parameters of the transmitted light is selected from the group consisting of an attenuator, a polarization controller, a shutter, an acousto-optic modulator, an electro-optic modulator, and combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein light is transmitted through the fiber optic bundle sequentially one optical fiber at a time.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic bundle transmits the light through two or more optical fibers simultaneously.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic bundle transmits the light sequentially one wavelength at a time.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic bundle transmits the light of two or more wavelengths simultaneously.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is selected form the group consisting of lasers, laser diodes, light emitting diodes, lamps, and combinations thereof.

17. The system of claim 2, wherein the beam collimator is selected from the group consisting of a lens-based collimator and a mirror-based collimator.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the beam forming element is selected from the group consisting of Powell lenses, cylindrical lenses, diffraction gratings, holographic elements, focusing mirrors, and combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the beam forming element is selected from the group consisting of conventional lenses having spherical surfaces, conventional lenses having aspherical surfaces, focusing mirrors, and combinations thereof.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the beam deflecting device comprises:

a scanning mirror; and

at least actuator.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the mode of operation of the imaging system is line confocal mode.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the mode of operation of the imaging system is wide field mode.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the mode of operation of the imaging system is point confocal mode.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

collimating the light from the fiber optic bundle.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the optical fibers in the fiber optic bundle are selected from the group consisting of multimode optical fibers, single mode optical fibers, and combinations thereof.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the optical fibers in the fiber optic bundle are selected from the group consisting of polarization maintaining optical fibers, photonic crystal optical fibers, and combinations thereof.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the optical fibers at an output end of the fiber optic bundle are axially offset with respect to an axis of the fiber optic bundle.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the optical fibers at an output end of the fiber optic bundle are arranged in a pattern selected from the group consisting of a single line, multiple lines, a cross, a circle, and a rectangle.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the optical fibers at an output end of the fiber optic bundle are uniformly spaced.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

reducing a spacing between cores of the optical fibers at an output end of the fiber optic bundle by at least one of chemical etching, partial cladding removal, tapering, and fusing.

32. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

polishing ends of the optical fibers have a geometry selected from the group consisting of normal to an optical axis of the optical fibers, at an angle to the optical axis of the optical fibers at an output end of the fiber optic bundle, and spherical.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the optical fibers in the fiber optic bundle are combined into an optical connector at an output end of the fiber optic bundle.

34. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

modifying the optical parameters of the transmitted light with a device selected from the group consisting of an attenuator, a polarization controller, a shutter, an acousto-optic modulator, an electro-optic modulator, and combinations thereof.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of transmitting light from at least one light source through a fiber optic bundle comprises:

transmitting the light sequentially through the fiber optic bundle one optical fiber at a time.

36. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of transmitting light from at least one light source through a fiber optic bundle comprises transmitting the light through two or more optical fibers simultaneously.

37. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of transmitting light from at least one light source through a fiber optic bundle comprises transmitting the light sequentially one wavelength at a time.

38. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of transmitting light from at least one light source through a fiber optic bundle comprises transmitting the light of two or more wavelengths simultaneously.

39. The method of claim 24, wherein the light source is selected form the group consisting of lasers, laser diodes, light emitting diodes, lamps, and combinations thereof.

40. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of collimating the light from the fiber optic bundle comprises:

collimating the light from the fiber optic bundle with a beam collimator selected from the group consisting of a lens-based collimator and a mirror-based collimator.

41. The method of claim 24, wherein the beam forming element is selected from the group consisting of Powell lenses, cylindrical lenses, diffraction gratings, holographic elements, focusing mirrors, and combinations thereof.

42. The method of claim 24, wherein the beam forming element is selected from the group consisting of conventional lenses having spherical surfaces, conventional lenses having aspherical surfaces, focusing mirrors, and combinations thereof.

43. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of deflecting the focused light on a sample comprises:

moving a scanning mirror with at least one actuator.

44. The method of claim 24, wherein the mode of operation for the imaging system is line confocal mode.

45. The method of claim 24, wherein the mode of operation for the imaging system is wide field mode.

47. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

determining an offset of a control voltage for an actuator spatial separation of a plurality of optical fibers in a fiber optic bundle.

48. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of deflecting the focused light on a sample comprises:

determining an offset of a control voltage for an actuator spatial separation of a plurality of optical fibers in a fiber optic bundle; and

providing the offset of a control voltage to the at least one actuator.

44-1. The method of claim 24, wherein the mode of operation for the imaging system is point confocal mode.