White coherent laser light launched into nano fibers for surgical illumination

Abstract

Disclosed is an exemplary surgical illumination system that includes a first laser configured to emit a first light beam having a first spectral range, and an illumination probe optically connectable to the first laser. The first laser may be configured as a supercontinuum laser. The surgical illumination system may include a second laser configured to emit a second light beam having a second spectral range, and a beam combiner for combing the first and second laser beams to form a third laser beam having a spectral range of the first and second lasers. The illumination probe includes a fiber optic cable for delivering at least a portion of the first light beam to a surgical site. The fiber optic cable includes a fiber optic core having a diameter of 100 microns or less.

1 . A surgical illumination system comprising:
 a first laser for emitting a first light beam having a first spectral range; and   an illumination probe optically connectable to the first laser, the illumination probe including a fiber optic cable for delivering at least a portion of the first light beam to a surgical site.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 1  further comprising a second laser configured to emit a second light beam having a second spectral range. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 2  further comprising a beam combiner arranged in an optical path between at least one of the first and second lasers, and the illumination probe, the beam combiner operable for combing the first and second light beams, and emitting a third light beam having a third spectral range that includes the first spectral range and the second spectral range. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second spectral ranges at least partially overlap. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber optic cable includes a fiber optic core having a diameter of 100 microns or less. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 1 , where the fiber optic core includes a contoured end for emitting the first light beam. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 1 , wherein the first spectral range extends over at least a portion of the visible spectrum. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 1 , wherein the first spectral range extends over substantially the entire visible spectrum. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 1 , wherein the first laser is a supercontinuum laser. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 1  further comprising an optical coupler for optically connecting the first laser to the illumination probe. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 1  further comprising a dispersive element for selectively adjusting a time domain of the first light beam, the dispersive element arranged in an optical path between the first laser and the illumination probe. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 1  further comprising a surgical probe integrated with the illumination probe. 
     
     
         13 . A surgical illumination system comprising:
 a laser configured for generating a first beam of light having a first spectral range;   an illumination probe including a fiber optic core having a diameter of 100 microns or less; and   an optical coupler optically coupling the fiber optic core of the illumination probe to the laser.   
     
     
         14 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 13 , wherein the laser includes a first laser configured to emit a first light beam having a first spectral range, and a second laser configure to emit a second light beam have a second spectral range. 
     
     
         15 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 14 , wherein the first spectral range overlaps the second spectral range. 
     
     
         16 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 14  further including a beam combiner arranged in the optical path between at least one of the first and second lasers, and the optical coupler. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 16 , where the beam combiner is configured to emit a third light beam having a third spectral range that includes the first spectral range of the first light beam and the second spectral range of the second light beam. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 13 , wherein the laser is configured as a supercontinuum laser. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 13  further comprising at least one of a dispersion element and a despeckling element arranged an optical path between the laser and the illumination probe. 
     
     
         20 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 13 , wherein the first spectral range includes substantially the entire visible spectral range. 
     
     
         21 . The surgical illumination system of  claim 13 , wherein an intensity distribution of the first beam of light is shaped to achieved a desired output pattern.