Optical fiber illumination systems and methods
First Claim
1. An illumination system, comprising:
- at least one light source that generates light having at least one wavelength between 200 nm and 2000 nm;
at least one low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber having an input end optically coupled to the at least one light source and having an output end, and configured to provide the light received by the at least one light source to the output end as guided light; and
at least one light-diffusing optical fiber having a glass core, a cladding surrounding the core, and a plurality of nano-sized structures situated within said core or at a core-cladding boundary, and further including an outer surface, and an input end optically coupled to the output end of the at least one low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber, wherein the at least one light-diffusing optical fiber is configured to receive the guided light from the low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber and scatter the guided light via said nano-sized structures away from the glass core and through the outer surface such that the average scattering loss of the fiber is greater than 50 dB/km for said at least one wavelength, forming a light-source fiber portion having a length over which the scattered light is continuously emitted through the outer surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An illumination system that includes at least one light-diffusing optical fiber is disclosed. The illumination system includes at least one low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber that optically couples the at least one light-diffusing optical fiber to at least one light source. The light-diffusing optical fiber includes a light-source fiber portion having a length over which scattered light is continuously emitted. The light-source fiber portion can be bent, including wound into a coil shape. The light-diffusing optical fiber includes a plurality of nano-sized structures configured to scatter guided light traveling within the light-diffusing optical fiber out of an outer surface of the fiber.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An illumination system, comprising:
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at least one light source that generates light having at least one wavelength between 200 nm and 2000 nm; at least one low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber having an input end optically coupled to the at least one light source and having an output end, and configured to provide the light received by the at least one light source to the output end as guided light; and at least one light-diffusing optical fiber having a glass core, a cladding surrounding the core, and a plurality of nano-sized structures situated within said core or at a core-cladding boundary, and further including an outer surface, and an input end optically coupled to the output end of the at least one low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber, wherein the at least one light-diffusing optical fiber is configured to receive the guided light from the low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber and scatter the guided light via said nano-sized structures away from the glass core and through the outer surface such that the average scattering loss of the fiber is greater than 50 dB/km for said at least one wavelength, forming a light-source fiber portion having a length over which the scattered light is continuously emitted through the outer surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An illumination system, comprising:
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at least one light source that generates light having at least one wavelength between 200 nm and 2000 nm; at least one low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber having an input end optically coupled to the at least one light source and having an output end, and configured to provide the light received by the at least one light source to the output end as guided light; and at least one light-diffusing optical fiber having a glass core, a cladding surrounding the core, and a plurality of nano-sized structures situated within said core or at a core-cladding boundary, and further including an outer surface, and an input end optically coupled to the output end of the at least one low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber, wherein the at least one light-diffusing optical fiber is configured to receive the guided light from the low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber and scatter the guided light via said nano-sized structures away from the glass core and through the outer, formin a light-source fiber portion haveing a length over which the scattered light is continuously emitted through the outer surface, wherein the at least one light-diffusing optical fiber has a plurality of bends formed therein to preferentially scatter the guided light via said nano-sized structures away from the glass core and through the outer surface.
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15. An illumination system, comprising:
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at least one light source that generates light in at least one wavelength; at least one low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber having an input end optically coupled to the at least one light source and having an output end, and configured to provide the light received bythe at least one light source to the output end as guided light; at least one light-diffusing optical fiber having a glass core, a surrounding cladding, and a plurality of nano-sized structures situated within said glass core or at a core-cladding boundary, and further including an outer surface, and an input end optically coupled to the output end of the at least one low-scatter light-conducting optical fiber to receive and guide the guided light therefrom; and wherein the at least one light-diffusing optical fiber is configured to scatter the guided light traveling therein via the nano-sized structures through the outer surface and for a length over which the scattered light is continuously emitted forming a light-source fiber portion such that the average scattering loss of the fiber is greater than 50 dB/km at the wavelength provided by said source. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification