Non-Contact Handpiece for Laser Tissue Cutting

Abstract

A non-contact laser handpiece contains optical components modified to provide a high density uniform later beam at a distance from the handpiece that minimizes effects of back reflection.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A laser handpiece, comprising:
 a waveguide configured to receive electromagnetic energy from a laser source;   a beam-emitting tip having at least one convex surface, configured to receive the electromagnetic energy and emit an energy beam that converges to a predefined configuration at a predefined distance from an emitting surface of the beam-emitting tip; and   a beam guide configured to indicate the predefined distance from the emitting surface of the beam-emitting tip in order to locate the predefined configuration of the emitted energy beam at a tissue target surface.   
     
     
         3 . The laser handpiece of  claim 2 , wherein the beam-emitting tip includes two convex surfaces forming a biconvex lens configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The laser handpiece of  claim 2 , wherein the beam-emitting tip includes a single convex surface. 
     
     
         5 . The laser handpiece of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a lens configured to direct electromagnetic energy from the waveguide to the beam-emitting tip.   
     
     
         6 . The laser handpiece of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a window configured to receive electromagnetic energy from the waveguide and output the electromagnetic energy to the lens.   
     
     
         7 . The laser handpiece of  claim 2 , wherein the predefined configuration is a focal point of the emitted energy beam. 
     
     
         8 . The laser handpiece of  claim 2 , wherein the laser handpiece if further configured to emit a spray of fluid onto the tissue target surface 
     
     
         9 . The laser handpiece of  claim 2 , wherein the beam-emitting tip is interchangeable with one or more other beam-emitting tips configured to emit energy beams that converge to different predefined configurations. 
     
     
         10 . The laser handpiece of  claim 2 , wherein the beam guide includes an elongated member projecting from the beam-emitting tip. 
     
     
         11 . A laser handpiece, comprising:
 a waveguide configured to receive electromagnetic energy from a laser source; and   a beam-emitting tip having at least one convex surface, configured to receive the electromagnetic energy and emit an energy beam that converges to a predefined configuration at a predefined distance from an emitting surface of the beam-emitting tip;   wherein the laser handpiece is configured to be operated with the emitting surface of the beam-emitting tip at the predefined distance from a tissue target surface such that the predefined configuration of the emitted energy beam occurs at the tissue target surface.   
     
     
         12 . The laser handpiece of  claim 11 , wherein the beam-emitting tip includes two convex surfaces forming a biconvex lens configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The laser handpiece of  claim 11 , wherein the beam-emitting tip includes a single convex surface. 
     
     
         14 . The laser handpiece of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a lens configured to direct electromagnetic energy from the waveguide to the beam-emitting tip.   
     
     
         15 . The laser handpiece of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a window configured to receive electromagnetic energy from the waveguide and output the electromagnetic energy to the lens.   
     
     
         16 . The laser handpiece of  claim 11 , wherein the predefined configuration is a focal point of the emitted energy beam. 
     
     
         17 . The laser handpiece of  claim 11 , wherein the laser handpiece if further configured to emit a spray of fluid onto the tissue target surface 
     
     
         18 . The laser handpiece of  claim 11 , wherein the beam-emitting tip is interchangeable with one or more other beam-emitting tips configured to emit energy beams that converge to different predefined configurations.