Stimulation systems with a lens arrangement for light coupling and methods of making and using

1. An implantable light generation arrangement for an optical or optical/electrical stimulation system, comprising:

a light source having an emission surface, wherein the light source is configured to generate light and emit the light from the emission surface;

an optical waveguide having a first end and a core;

a ball lens disposed between the light source and the optical waveguide and configured to receive the light emitted from the light source and direct the light onto the core at the first end of the optical waveguide, wherein the ball lens is spaced apart from both the emission surface of the light source and the first end of the optical waveguide, wherein the ball lens has an index of refraction of at least 1.4 and a diameter of at least 1 mm, wherein the ball lens is spaced apart from the first end of the optical waveguide by an amount that is no more than half of the diameter of the ball lens; and

a fixture holding the light source, optical waveguide, and ball lens in a fixed arrangement.

2. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a casing surrounding the light source, a portion of the optical waveguide, the ball lens, and the fixture.

3. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a lead comprising terminals disposed along a proximal end of the lead and conductors coupled to the terminals and extending along the lead, wherein at least two of the conductors are coupled to the light source to electrically couple the light source to at least two of the terminals.

4. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the ball lens is at least five times as large as a diameter of the core of the optical waveguide.

5. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the optical waveguide is spaced apart from the ball lens by a distance equal to a back focal length of the ball lens.

6. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the emission surface of the light source is spaced apart from the ball lens by a distance of at least 0.16 mm.

7. A system for an optical or optical/electrical stimulation, comprising:

the implantable light generation arrangement of claim 1 ; and

a control module electrically coupleable to the light source of the implantable light generation arrangement.

8. An implantable light generation arrangement for an optical or optical/electrical stimulation system, comprising:

a light source having an emission surface, wherein the light source is configured to generate light and emit the light from the emission surface;

an optical waveguide having a first end and a core;

a ball lens disposed between the light source and the optical waveguide and configured to receive the light emitted from the light source and direct the light onto the core at the first end of the optical waveguide, wherein the ball lens has an index of refraction of at least 1.4 and a diameter of at least 1 mm, wherein the ball lens is spaced apart from the first end of the optical waveguide by an amount that is no more than half of the diameter of the ball lens;

a fixture holding the light source, optical waveguide, and ball lens in a fixed arrangement; and

a lead comprising terminals disposed along a proximal end of the lead and conductors coupled to the terminals and extending along the lead, wherein at least two of the conductors are coupled to the light source to electrically couple the light source to at least two of the terminals.

9. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 8 , further comprising a casing surrounding the light source, a portion of the optical waveguide, the ball lens, and the fixture, wherein another portion of the optical waveguide and at least a portion of the lead extend out of the casing.

10. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the diameter of the ball lens is at least five times as large as a diameter of the core of the optical waveguide.

11. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the first end of the optical waveguide is spaced apart from the ball lens by a distance equal to a back focal length of the ball lens.

12. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the diameter of the ball lens is at least 4 mm.

13. A system for an optical or optical/electrical stimulation, comprising:

the implantable light generation arrangement of claim 8 ; and

a control module electrically coupleable to the light source of the implantable light generation arrangement.

14. An implantable light generation arrangement for an optical or optical/electrical stimulation system, comprising:

a light source having an emission surface, wherein the light source is configured to generate light and emit the light from the emission surface;

an optical waveguide having a first end and a core;

a ball lens disposed between the light source and the optical waveguide and configured to receive the light emitted from the light source and direct the light onto the core at the first end of the optical waveguide, wherein the ball lens has an index of refraction of at least 1.4 and a diameter of at least 1 mm, wherein the diameter of the ball lens is at least twice as large as a diameter of the emission surface of the light source, wherein the ball lens is spaced apart from the first end of the optical waveguide by an amount that is no more than half of the diameter of the ball lens; and

a fixture holding the light source, optical waveguide, and ball lens in a fixed arrangement.

15. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 14 , further comprising a casing surrounding the light source, a portion of the optical waveguide, the ball lens, and the fixture.

16. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 14 , further comprising a lead comprising terminals disposed along a distal end of the lead and conductors coupled to the terminals and extending along the lead, wherein at least two of the conductors are coupled to the light source to electrically couple the light source to at least two of the terminals.

17. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 14 , wherein the diameter of the ball lens is at least five times as large as a diameter of the core of the optical waveguide.

18. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 14 , wherein the first end of the optical waveguide is spaced apart from the ball lens by a distance of at least 0.5 mm.

19. The implantable light generation arrangement of claim 14 , further comprising a lead comprising electrodes disposed along a distal end of the lead, wherein a portion of the optical waveguide extends along the lead.

20. A system for an optical or optical/electrical stimulation, comprising:

the implantable light generation arrangement of claim 14 ; and

a control module electrically coupleable to the light source of the implantable light generation arrangement.