Abstract: A fiber optic device for the transmission and lateral irradiation of laser energy, particularly for angioplasty, comprising at least one optical fiber (1), to the inlet end of which there is coupled a laser source (4) and to the outlet end of which, after removing its coating (3), there is applied a microcapsule (5) which is transparent to laser radiation and has a substantially toroidal thickened portion (6) surrounding said end and arranged to give rise to a "corolla-shaped" output laser beam.

Abstract: A device for transferring the energy emitted by a high power laser onto a target characterized in that it comprises two guides of optical fibre having step index refraction distribution and at least a plastic material coating. The first guide, stiffly coupled to the laser source, is a variable section fibre with an input face of larger diameter. Guide is the second one by a uniform or variable section fibre with a larger diameter near the output terminal. The two guides are joined by a low leakage optical fibre connector, and between them an adapter can be interposed if the output section of the first guide of fibre does not coincide with the input section of the second guide of fibre. The variable section fibre can be drawn from a pre-moulded or melted material, with the speed controlled by an electronic circuit. Different kinds of pots can be utilized in order to obtain the fibre plastic coating.

Abstract: The method for constructing microlens ends for optical fibres, particularly for biomedical and/or surgical use, is characterised by propagating in the optical fibre a radiation of the type used during the application of the fibre itself, and to which said fibre is transparent, and converting the wavelength of the radiation, outside to the fibre and in proximity to its output end, which has been previously cut along a plane orthogonal to its axis, into a band of wavelengths which can be absorbed by the fibre, for a time sufficient to cause localized fusion of the end.

Abstract: A device for transferring the energy emitted by a high power laser onto a target characterized in that it comprises two guides of optical fibre having a step index refraction distribution and at least a plastic material coating. The first guide, stiffly coupled to the laser source, is a variable section fibre with an input face of larger diameter. The second guide is a uniform or variable section fibre with a larger diameter near the output terminal. The two guides are joined by a low leakage optical fibre connector, and between them an adapter can be interposed if the output section of the first guide of fibre does not coincide with the input section of the second guide of fibre. The variable section fibre can be drawn from a pre-molded or melted material, with the speed controlled by an electronic circuit. Different kinds of pots can be utilized in order to obtain the fibre plastic coating.

Abstract: An optical fiber device for the transportation and focalization of laser radiation, wherein the output terminal of the device presents a convex surface which may be spherical.

Abstract: A geodesic lens for waveguides formed by four concentric zones, of which the two exterior ones, having an external radius a and b, are portions of a plane surface, the central zone, having a radius d, represents the actual lens, and the remaining zone, having an external radius c, is a connecting portion without discontinuities with the contiguous portions having an external radius respectively equal to d and b, said parameters a, b, d, having been selected according to the optical characteristics of the lens to be obtained, taking into account the formulae: focal length f=ab/(a+b), aperture=2d, linear magnification X=b/a (or X=a/b according to the position of the image with respect to the source).

Abstract: An optical thin film processor for the elaboration of unidimensional signals embodies a dielectric thin film transparent to laser radiation, shaped as a spherical lune having an angle of 270.degree., supported by a spherical substrate, formed of material having a refractive index lower than that of the thin film, a point source located on either meridian delimiting the thin film, detecting means on the other meridian, a modulator located on a meridian at 90.degree. relative to the input meridian, and a device lying on the meridian at 180.degree. from the input meridian for the space-filtering of a signal coming from the modulator on the 90.degree. meridian.