Optical delivery systems and methods of providing adjustable beam diameter, spot size and/or spot shape

• US 20070189664A1
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iridex Corporation
• Original Assignee: OptiMedica Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Andersen, Dan, Gooding, Philip, Wiltberger, Michael, Angeley, David, Mordaunt, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,599,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/25
• 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 3/135 Slit-lamp microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00863 Retina
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00872 Cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00897 Scanning mechanisms or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/008 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00821 for coagulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00823 Laser features or special beam parameters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/009 Auxiliary devices making contact with the eyeball and coupling in laser light, e.g. goniolenses apparatus for eye examination A61B3/0008
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/32 having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3512 the optical element being reflective, e.g. mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3548 1xN switch, i.e. one input and a selectable single output of N possible outputs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/357 Electrostatic force electrostatic forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/0841
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3582 Housing means or package or arranging details of the switching elements, e.g. for thermal isolation

Abstract

An optical device and method for varying an optical characteristic of an optical beam can include a plurality of optical fibers each having an input end, an output end, and a core, wherein each of the optical fibers has an effective area and a numerical aperture, and a beam deviating component for moving at least one of the optical fiber input ends and the optical beam relative to each other such that the optical beam selectively enters the input ends one at a time and is transmitted out the output ends one at a time, wherein at least one of the effective areas and the numerical apertures varies among the plurality of optical fibers such that the optical beam transmitted out of the output ends has a varying optical characteristic.

Claims

1. An optical device, comprising a device for generating an optical beam;

a plurality of optical fibers each having an input end, an output end, and a core, wherein each of the optical fibers has an effective area and a numerical aperture;

a device for moving at least one of the optical fiber input ends and the optical beam relative to each other such that the optical beam selectively enters the input ends one at a time and is transmitted out the output ends one at a time;

wherein at least one of the effective areas and the numerical apertures varies among the plurality of optical fibers such that the optical beam transmitted out of the output ends has a varying optical characteristic.

2. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the device for moving at least one of the optical beam and the optical fiber input ends relative to each other comprises a motor configured to translate the optical fiber input ends.

3. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the device for moving at least one of the optical beam and the optical fiber input ends relative to each other comprises a translation stage configured to translate the optical fiber input ends.

4. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the device for moving at least one of the optical beam and the optical fiber input ends relative to each other comprises a movable optical element for deflecting the optical beam relative to the optical fiber input ends.

5. The optical device of claim 4, wherein the movable optical element is a rotatable mirror.

6. The optical device of claim 4, wherein the movable optical element is a translatable curved mirror.

7. The optical device of claim 4, wherein the movable optical element is a translatable lens.

8. The optical device of claim 4, wherein the movable optical element is a movable grating.

9. The optical device of claim 4, wherein the movable optical element is a movable prism.

10. The optical device of claim 1 wherein the device for moving at least one of the optical beam and the optical fiber input ends relative to each other comprises an acousto-optical element for deflecting the optical beam relative to the optical fiber input ends.

11. The optical device of claim 1, wherein for at least one of the optical fibers, the effective area is determined by an area of the core.

12. The optical device of claim 1., wherein for at least one of the optical fibers, the effective area is determined by an aperture disposed to receive the optical beam exiting the output end of the optical fiber.

13. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the varying optical characteristic is divergence.

14. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the varying optical characteristic is a spot size.

15. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the varying optical characteristic is a spot shape.

16. The optical device of claim 1, wherein the varying optical characteristic is a beam diameter.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein a spot size of a beam is adjusted by sending the beam through optical fibers having different effective etendue.

18. The device of claim 1, further comprising an optical element used to inject light into the fibers.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the optical element used to inject light into the fibers is a lens.

20. The device of claim 18, further comprising a beam-deviating element, placed before the optical element used to inject light into the fiber, used to direct light into a specific fiber.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the output comprises an optical system that is common for the fibers.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein fibers have different core diameters.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the common optical system at the output comprises a lens.

24. The device of claim 1, further comprising a lens for focusing the optical beam into the optical fiber input ends.

25. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of optical systems at the output end, with a separate optical system being used for each fiber.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the output comprises an optical system that includes a common optical system that is common to two or more fibers having different core diameters, and a separate optical system for a fiber not associated with the common optical system.

27. The device of claim 1, further comprising a scanning system to create patterns of light and select a desired output of a specific fiber in an array.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the scanning system selects light from a desired fiber in an array.

29. The device of claim 1, further comprising an optical magnification element that alters an effective numerical aperture of at least one of the plurality of optical fibers.

30. The device of claim 1, further comprising an optical element that alters the overall effective etendue of the device.

31. The device of claim 1, further comprising an optical element that alters the overall effective etendue of at least one of the plurality of optical fibers.

32. The device of claim 1, wherein the overall effective etendue of the device modifies a final beam diameter by one or more of:

selecting optical fibers having desired numerical aperture(s), altering an effective numerical aperture of a fiber using an optical element, adjusting an aperture associated with a fiber or other component of the system.

33. The device of claim 1, wherein at least 1 of the optical fibers having the same core diameter are employed in an aperture-limited arrangement to change an effective NA of the at least one optical fiber.

34. The device of claim 1, wherein at least 2 of the optical fibers having the same core diameter are employed in an aperture-limited arrangement to change an effective NA of the at least one optical fiber.

35. The device of claim 1, wherein a fiber is employed in an aperture-adjusted arrangement to change the effective etendue of the fiber.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the aperture-adjusted arrangement is an aperture-limited arrangement that reduces the effective NA of the fiber.

37. The device of claim 1, further comprising an aperture associated with a fiber of the plurality of fibers that is sized to change the effective etendue of the fiber, wherein a spot size is adjusted by passing a beam through the fiber and aperture.

38. The device of claim 1, further comprising an aperture associated with a fiber of the plurality of fibers that is sized to change the effective NA of the fiber, wherein a beam diameter of a beam is adjusted by passing the beam through the fiber and aperture.

39. The device of claim 1, further comprising an aperture associated with a fiber of the plurality of fibers that is sized to change the effective etendue of the fiber, wherein an output spot shape is adjusted by passing the beam through the fiber and aperture.

40. The device of claim 1, wherein a spot size of a beam is adjusted by sending the beam through optical fibers having different numerical apertures.

41. The device of claim 1, wherein a spot size of a beam is adjusted by sending the beam through different combinations of optical fibers having different core diameters.

42. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprises between 2 and 8 optical fibers.

43. The device of claim 42, wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprise 3 fibers.

44. The device of claim 42, wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprise 4 fibers.

45. The device of claim 42, wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprise 5 fibers.

46. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprise 2 first fibers each having a core diameter 50 um, 2 second fibers each having a core diameter 100 um, and a third fiber having a core diameter of 200 um.

47. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical fibers have an intrinsic NA of 0.12.

48. The device of claim 1, wherein at least 2 of the optical fibers have different core diameters.

49. The device of claim 1, wherein at least 2 of the optical fibers have the same core diameter.

50. The device of claim 1, wherein at least 3 of the optical fibers have different core diameters.

51. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers are maintained in spaced-apart relation from each other.

52. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers are maintained in a unitary array characterized by sharing an optical system at their output ends.

53. The device of claim 1, wherein the input ends of the plurality of optical fibers are aligned substantially parallel to each other.

54. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers are arranged in a planar array at their input ends.

55. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers are arranged parallel to each other in a bundle such that individual fibers abut multiple other individual fibers.

56. The device of claim 55, wherein the output ends of the fibers are grouped into a bundle contained within a ferrule of substantially circular cross-section.

57. The device of claim 1, wherein a spot shape is adjusted by directing light from different optical fibers into differing/adjacent spot regions.

58. The device of claim 1, wherein the beam diameter/spot size is increased or decreased by sending the light through an additional optical fiber.

59. The device of claim 1, wherein the beam diameter is increased or decreased by sending the light pulse through one or more different (combinations of) optical fibers.

60. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical fibers have an input and an output, and wherein the optical fibers are bundled at the input, but not at the output.

61. The device of claim 10, further comprising an optical element used to inject light into the fibers of a fiber array, wherein a different spot size is achieved by employing fibers of different diameters, or by using combinations of different magnification optical systems and/or apertures.

62. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a beam block or beam dump near the input of the fiber that is selectable by the beam-deviating element so that light is directed for attenuation purposes;

a laser beam (treatment) incident upon the beam-deviating element from which any of the fibers or beam block can be selected for direction of beam thereto;

a second laser beam spatially and/or angularly distinct from the first incident upon the beam-deviating element from which any of the fibers or beam block can be selected.

63. The device of claim 1, wherein the output of the fibers are individually connectorized for compatibility with a different output device.

64. The device of claim 63, wherein the different output device is a slit lamp microscope, a laser indirect ophthamoscope, or a surgical microscope.

65. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more fibers are split off from a main cable of fibers to attach to the variety of output devices.

66. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of optical fibers is coupled to its own optical system.

67. An array of fibers used for adjusting a treatment beam in a photomedical device, the array comprising:

a plurality of optical fibers each having an input end, an output end, and a core, wherein each of the optical fibers has an effective area and a numerical aperture; and

an optical component configured for association with a beam-deviating element so as to enable selective injection or ejection of an optical beam into the input end or out of the output end;

wherein at least one of the effective areas and the numerical apertures varies among the plurality of optical fibers such that a transmitted optical beam has a varying optical characteristic.

68. The array of claim 67 wherein the plurality of optical fibers comprises between 3 and 10 optical fibers.

69. The array of claim 67, wherein the plurality of optical fibers include 4 fibers.

70. The array of claim 67, wherein the plurality of optical fibers include 5 fibers.

71. The array of claim 70, wherein the plurality of optical fibers include 2 first fibers each having a core diameter 50 um, 2 second fibers each having a core diameter 100 um, and a third fiber having a core diameter of 200 um.

72. The array of claim 67, wherein the optical fibers have an intrinsic NA of 0.12.

73. A method of varying an optical characteristic of an optical beam, comprising:

generating an optical beam suitable for transmission by at least one of a plurality of optical fibers that each have an input end, an output end, and a core, wherein each of the optical fibers has an effective area and a numerical aperture; and

directing the optical beam via a deviation with regard to the optical fiber input ends or the optical beam relative to each other such that the optical beam selectively enters the input ends one at a time and is transmitted out the output ends one at a time;

wherein at least one of the effective areas and the numerical apertures varies among the plurality of optical fibers such that the optical beam transmitted out of the output ends has a varying optical characteristic.

74. A method of adjusting a spot size comprising:

positioning a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber having an effective area and a numerical aperture, into spatial relation with each other such that a beam may be directed therethrough;

using an optical element to select at least one optical fiber through which the beam is to be transmitted; and

transmitting a beam through the at least one optical fiber to adjust an ultimate spot size of the beam at the target tissue.

75. The method of claim 74, further comprising adjusting a spot shape of the beam.

76. A method of adjusting a spot shape comprising:

positioning a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber having an effective area and a numerical aperture, into spatial relation with each other such that a beam may be directed therethrough;

using an optical element to select at least one optical fiber through which the beam is to be transmitted; and

transmitting a beam through the at least one optical fiber to adjust an ultimate spot shape of the beam at the target tissue.

77. A method of shaping a beam size or a spot size comprising:

positioning a plurality of optical fibers, each fiber having an effective area and a numerical aperture, into spatial relation with each other to create an arrangement configured to enable an optical element to direct a beam through at least one selected fiber;

using an optical element to select at least one optical fiber through which the beam is to be transmitted; and

transmitting a beam through the at least one optical fiber to adjust one or both of an ultimate spot size and/or an ultimate spot shape of the beam at a target tissue or point.