LASER FIBER CAPILLARY APPARATUS AND METHOD
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a capillary having a recessed transmissive portion, the recessed transmissive portion of the capillary being offset from a centerline of the capillary; and
an optical fiber having a core, a distal end portion of the core being disposed within the capillary, the distal end portion of the core having a surface non-perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the distal end portion of the core, the surface of the distal end portion of the core being configured to redirect laser energy in a lateral direction offset from the longitudinal axis and through the recessed transmissive portion of the capillary.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a capillary for use in side-firing optical fibers. An outer surface of the capillary defines a recessed transmissive portion of the capillary. The area of the recessed transmissive portion can be a four-sided area or an area with a rounded boundary, for example. An optical-fiber-core end portion disposed within the capillary can include an end surface configured to redirect laser energy in a lateral direction and through the recessed transmissive portion of the capillary. The lateral direction can be substantially normal to the recessed transmissive portion of the capillary and offset from a longitudinal axis of the distal end portion of the core. The end surface of the core can be non-perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. In some embodiments, a multilayer dielectric coating can be disposed on the end surface of the core.
152 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a capillary having a recessed transmissive portion, the recessed transmissive portion of the capillary being offset from a centerline of the capillary; and an optical fiber having a core, a distal end portion of the core being disposed within the capillary, the distal end portion of the core having a surface non-perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the distal end portion of the core, the surface of the distal end portion of the core being configured to redirect laser energy in a lateral direction offset from the longitudinal axis and through the recessed transmissive portion of the capillary. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first capillary having a transmissive portion; a second capillary having a transmissive portion, at least a portion of the first capillary being disposed within the second capillary, the transmissive portion of the second capillary at least partially aligned with the transmissive portion of the first capillary; and an optical fiber having a core, a distal end portion of the core being disposed within the first capillary, a distal end of the core having a surface non-perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the distal end portion of the core, the surface of the distal end of the core being configured to redirect laser energy in a lateral direction offset from the longitudinal axis and through the transmissive portion of the first capillary and the transmissive portion of the second capillary. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method, comprising:
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inserting a distal end portion of a first member into a patient'"'"'s body, the first member having an outer surface that defines a recessed surface, the first member having a second member disposed within the first member configured to redirect laser energy in a lateral direction offset from a longitudinal axis of a distal end portion of the first member; and after the inserting, activating a laser source to transmit laser energy to the patient'"'"'s body, the transmitted laser energy passing through the recessed surface of the first member. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification