Efficient coupling of infrared radiation to renal calculi
Herein are disclosed protected optical fiber terminations for use in the treatment of renal and biliary calculi. The protected optical fiber termination including a ferrule affixed to the optical fiber that provides the termination of the optical fiber with protection from contact with saline and/or biological fluids. The optical fiber termination can include open or closed ferrules. The open ferrules providing a means for maintaining a bubble, e.g., a Moses bubble on the termination; the closed ferrules providing a calumniated focus on the renal or biliary calculi.
1. A optical fiber output termination comprising:
an optical fiber having
a core composed of fused silica or doped fused silica, a cladding disposed about the core, a first polymer coating disposed about the cladding, and a second polymer coating disposed about the first polymer coating,
an output terminus, and
a stripped terminus coincident with the output terminus, the stripped terminus including the core, cladding, and the first polymer coating, a stripped terminus length, and an outside diameter; and
a ferrule affixed to the stripped terminus, having a length longer than the stripped terminus length, and a borehole, the borehole having a first bore with an inside diameter substantially similar to the outside diameter of the stripped terminus, where an output face carried on the output terminus is within the bore of the ferrule, the output face positioned at a fiber setback relative to a terminus of the ferrule at a distance where the highest angle of emitted radiation does not impinge upon the ferrule borehole;
wherein the
fiber
setback
<
0.5
(
first
bore
diameter
-
fiber
cladding
diameter
)
tan
(
fiber
Output
Angle
)
;
fiber
Output
Angle
=
arcsin
(
fiber
Numerical
Aperture
)
;
fiber
Numerical
Aperture
=
(
core
R
I
)
2
-
(
cladding
R
I
)
2
;
wherein RI is refractive index.
2. The optical fiber output termination of claim 1 , where the ferrule is fused quartz, fused silica, single crystal sapphire, a metal oxide ceramic, a silicon carbide, a thermoset polymer, a metal, an alloy, or a mixture thereof.
3. The optical fiber output termination of claim 1 , where the borehole includes a second bore that has an inside diameter that is substantially similar to a second polymer coating outside diameter; wherein the ferrule is affixed about the second polymer coating and within the second bore.
4. The optical fiber output termination of claim 3 , further comprising a third bore having a third inside diameter.
5. The optical fiber output termination of claim 4 , wherein the third bore is adjacent to the terminus of the ferrule, the output termination further comprising a window of crystalline material transparent to infrared radiation disposed within the third bore and extending beyond the terminus of the ferrule.
6. The optical fiber output termination of claim 1 , where the output terminus includes an output surface that is flat.
7. The optical fiber output termination of claim 1 , where the output terminus includes an output surface that is convex.
8. The optical fiber output termination of claim 1 further comprising a window of crystalline material transparent to infrared radiation disposed at the terminus of the ferrule.
9. The optical fiber output termination of claim 8 , wherein the window of crystalline material extends beyond the terminus of the ferrule.
10. The optical fiber output termination of claim 8 , wherein the window of crystalline material consists of sapphire.
11. The optical fiber output termination of claim 1 , wherein the optical fiber and affixed ferrule are disposed within a fluid transfer tube; wherein the terminus of the ferrule extends beyond a terminus of the fluid transfer tube.
12. The optical fiber output termination of claim 11 , wherein the fluid transfer tube includes a plurality of lumen in fluidic contact with the ferrule.
13. The optical fiber output termination of claim 1 , wherein the borehole includes a setback surface, the setback surface carried on an inside diameter along the fiber setback; the setback surface carrying a hydrophobic or super-hydrophobic surface that provides a contact angle of at least 90°.
14. A optical fiber output termination comprising:
an optical fiber having a silica core, a cladding disposed about the core, a first polymer coating disposed about the cladding, and a second polymer coating disposed about the first polymer coating, the second polymer coating having an outside diameter, an output terminus, and a hydrophilic-stripped terminus coincident with the output terminus, the hydrophilic-stripped terminus including the core and cladding, a hydrophilic-stripped terminus length, and an outside diameter;
a ferrule affixed to the stripped terminus, having a length longer than the hydrophilic-stripped terminus length, and a borehole, where an output face carried on the output terminus is within the borehole of the ferrule, the output face positioned at a fiber setback relative to a terminus of the ferrule at a distance where the highest angle of emitted radiation does not impinge upon the ferrule borehole, the borehole having a first bore and a second bore, the first bore having an inside diameter substantially similar to the outside diameter of the hydrophilic-stripped terminus, the second bore having an inside diameter substantially similar to the outside diameter of the second polymer coating; and
a moisture-sensitive, gas-generating charge that is in fluidic communication with the output terminus of the fiber, carried between the ferrule and the optical fiber;
wherein the
fiber
setback
<
0.5
(
first
bore
diameter
-
fiber
cladding
diameter
)
tan
(
fiber
Output
Angle
)
;
fiber
Output
Angle
=
arcsin
(
fiber
Numerical
Aperture
)
;
fiber
Numerical
Aperture
=
(
core
R
I
)
2
-
(
cladding
R
I
)
2
;
and wherein RI is refractive index.
15. A optical fiber output termination of claim 14 , wherein the gas-generating charge is affixed within the borehole, the gas-generating charge having an outside diameter coincident with the second bore and a charge borehole that has an inside diameter that is a substantially similar to the first bore of the ferrule;
wherein the optical fiber is hermetically affixed to the ferrule within the second bore.
16. A optical fiber output termination of claim 14 , wherein the bore hold includes an intermediate bore, wherein the gas-generating charge is affixed within the intermediate bore, has an outside diameter coincident with the intermediate bore and a charge borehole that has an inside diameter that is a substantially similar to the first bore of the ferrule;
wherein the hydrophilic-stripped terminus passes through the gas-generating charge borehole.
17. A optical fiber output termination comprising:
an optical fiber having a silica core, a cladding disposed about the core, a first polymer coating disposed about the cladding, and a second polymer coating disposed about the first polymer coating, the second polymer coating having an outside diameter, an output terminus, and a stripped terminus coincident with the output terminus, the stripped terminus including the core and cladding, a stripped terminus length, and an outside diameter;
a ferrule consisting of sapphire, affixed to the stripped terminus, having a length longer than the stripped terminus length, and a borehole, where an output face carried on the output terminus is within the borehole of the ferrule, the output face positioned at a fiber setback relative to a terminus of the ferrule, the ferrule carrying a lens having a flat input surface adjacent to the borehole and a convex or flat output surface; wherein the fiber output face and the ferrule lens provide a beam path that culminates at a position immediately distal to the ferrule lens;
wherein the
fiber
setback
<
0.5
(
first
bore
diameter
-
fiber
cladding
diameter
)
tan
(
fiber
Output
Angle
)
;
fiber
Output
Angle
=
arcsin
(
fiber
Numerical
Aperture
)
;
fiber
Numerical
Aperture
=
(
core
R
I
)
2
-
(
cladding
R
I
)
2
;
and wherein RI is refractive index.