Abstract: An article of manufacture including a fiber optic termination of a small core optical fiber for use with a surgical laser (characterized by a high M2 factor) or other high-power or high-energy pulse laser is configured for safe and efficient coupling of light at a large laser focal point and/or to enable the process of coupling of radiant intensities exceeding the silica fiber damage thresholds and/or those ionizing the air if fully focused therein. The termination includes a glass cylinder structured to include a core region and a glass cladding region the ratio of dimensions of which is substantially equal to the ratio of respectively-corresponding dimensions of the employed optical fiber. A method of coupling laser light characterized by an M2 factor of 25 or higher into an optical fiber with the use of same.

Abstract: An article of manufacture including a fiber optic termination of a small core optical fiber for use with a surgical laser apparatus (the output from which may be characterized by a high M2 factor) or other high-power or high-energy laser (including an appropriate fiber laser) is configured for safe and efficient coupling of light at a large laser focal point and/or to enable the process of coupling of radiant intensities exceeding the silica fiber damage thresholds and/or those ionizing the air if fully focused therein. The termination may include a glass cylinder structured to include a core region and a glass cladding region the ratio of dimensions of which is substantially equal to the ratio of respectively-corresponding dimensions of the employed optical fiber. A method of propagating light through such article of manufacture.

Abstract: An all-optical-fiber device (optionally produced with the use of laser machining) containing constituent optical fiber components in which the corresponding ends are segmented (and—in one specific case—quartered) and optionally tapered (while portions of the original cores and claddings are maintained) and operationally joined back to form an aggregate end of the device with the round aperture and the corresponding round facet. The end of the device may be cooperated with a quadrant detector for automatic guidance that is based on steering the output light, that was launched into the round facet and propagated through the device, toward the quadrant with the strongest signal in iterations until the signal in each quadrant of the detector is substantially balanced. Constituent optical fiber component(s) and overall detection system and method for manufacture and/or use of same.

Abstract: A surgical scope employing a multi-spectrum ring illuminated surgical camera with a ring lens and a plurality of sources of light set behind the camera and positioned radially about the longitudinal axis of the lens and/or scope.

Abstract: A process of formation of an optical fiber termination includes intentionally introducing gas vent gaps within the optical fiber termination, as a result of which fabrication process related mechanical stresses in the termination are greatly or at least substantially reduced. Optical fiber terminations formed with such process. Methodologies of using such optical fiber terminations.

Abstract: Articles of manufacture, including terminations of or attachments to optical fibers are configured to substantially prevent axial emission and redirect radially most if not all light emanating from optical fibers. In that, a termination may include a fiber cap of a unitary construction of a tube and an optical element disposed to face a sealed end of the tube and dividing a hollow of the tube and having a conical surface, or an optical element dividing the hollow and complemented by a cone. An example of termination includes an optical fiber element having an up-tapered end with a maximum taper-diameter exceeding the core-diameter and ending at a conical element with an apex angle from about 70° to about 100°. Articles of manufacture additionally including mounting contraptions cooperating such terminations with cannulae to form an attachment to a laser system. Methods for transmitting light through such articles of manufacture.

Abstract: An article of manufacture including a fiber optic termination of a small core optical fiber for use with a surgical laser apparatus (the output from which may be characterized by a high M2 factor) or other high-power or high-energy laser (including an appropriate fiber laser) is configured for safe and efficient coupling of light at a large laser focal point and/or to enable the process of coupling of radiant intensities exceeding the silica fiber damage thresholds and/or those ionizing the air if fully focused therein. The termination may include a glass cylinder structured to include a core region and a glass cladding region the ratio of dimensions of which is substantially equal to the ratio of respectively-corresponding dimensions of the employed optical fiber. A method of propagating light through such article of manufacture.

Abstract: A surgical scope employing a multi-spectrum ring illuminated surgical camera with a ring lens and a plurality of sources of light set behind the camera and positioned radially about the longitudinal axis of the lens and/or scope.

Abstract: A single strand of an optical fiber with a single optical core that is dimensioned at one end to resemble a blade or a head of a flat-head screwdriver. Such strand of the optical fiber is configured for optical coupling of light between such single strand and a spectrometric/spectrophotometric apparatus while employing an input slit and/or an output slit of the apparatus. A method for fabricating such single strand. A fiber optic cable containing, as an optical medium, only such single strand. A method for handling light with the use of such optical fiber and/or the optical cable.

Abstract: A surgical scope employing a multi-spectrum ring illuminated surgical camera with a ring lens and a plurality of sources of light set behind the camera and positioned radially about the longitudinal axis of the lens and/or scope.

Abstract: Articles of manufacture, including terminations of or attachments to optical fibers are configured to substantially prevent axial emission and redirect radially most if not all light emanating from optical fibers. In that, a termination may include a fiber cap of a unitary construction of a tube and an optical element disposed to face a sealed end of the tube and dividing a hollow of the tube and having a conical surface, or an optical element dividing the hollow and complemented by a cone. An example of termination includes an optical fiber element having an up-tapered end with a maximum taper-diameter exceeding the core-diameter and ending at a conical element with an apex angle from about 70° to about 100°. Articles of manufacture additionally including mounting contraptions cooperating such terminations with cannulae to form an attachment to a laser system. Methods for transmitting light through such articles of manufacture.

Abstract: A tool for chamfering cleaved tips of optical fibers. The tool including conical bores of relatively smooth and hard material terminate at a cylindrical bore that is slightly larger than the fiber core maximum diameter and a fiber centering bore that is slightly larger than the fiber coating maximum diameter. The tool provided such that when a cleaved fiber tip is inserted into the centering bore the sharp edge falls upon the chamfering surface that, when rotated relative to the fiber, gently grinds the edge to the chamfer angle. Chamfering cannot occur on the core face due to the absence of tool surface at this dimension.

Abstract: An all-optical-fiber device configured to supply, to a target, laser radiation having characteristics sufficient for ablating a biological tissue in a manner that is consistent and competitive with the tissue removal geometry and volume provided by conventional electrocautery resection devices. The desired effect is achieved by configuring a facet of the optical fiber or an internal surface of the fiber's termination cap as a surface providing total-internal-reflection of light substantially at every point of such surface while having normals drawn to immediately adjoining surface portions be not parallel with respect to one another.

Abstract: A tubular optically-transparent device structured as a terminating cap for an optical fiber is configured to deliver laser radiation from the optical fiber substantially radially (generally—transversely to the axis of the cap) while at the same time spatially-redistributing the radiant intensity at a point of interaction of laser radiation with a wall of the cap to reduce material damage of the material of the cap thereby reducing tissue adhesion during surgery performed with the use of the device including such optical fiber and cap. A method for operating the same.

Abstract: An optical-fiber-based optical switch arrangement configured to redirect light from axial propagation to off-axis propagation due to axial repositioning of the optical fiber within the optical termination element and internally reflecting light in an annular fashion off the axis in one state of the switch arrangement and not in the other.

Abstract: A holder of an optical fiber (a fiber-optic element) structured to house and secure the surgical optical fiber within the holder to prevent a possibility of the fiber to move at least axially and/or rotate about the axis while, at the same time, avoiding microbending of the surgical optical fiber (which such holder is configured to house) to prevent fiber burning during use of the surgical fiber with high-power laser sources. The holder is optionally and preferably configured as a controller of spatial orientation of the fiber output portion (which output portion remains invisible to the user during the application) that ensures that the output optical power is delivered from the termination of the optical fiber in the intended direction.

Abstract: Optical fibers used to deliver laser energy inside the body are often twisted and bent when passed through tortuous routes in accessing the target tissue or pathology, e.g. during the ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy. When an irregular laser output that is produced at the start of the lasing process is channeled through a fiber that is bent at or near the bend limit, fail safe polymer claddings are damaged and can no longer contain even regular laser output in tight deflection. A common resulting fiber failure, known as ‘fiber burn through’, results in injuries to patients and is a major cause of damage to ureteroscopes. Discussed are the systems and methodologies providing a solution to such premature fiber failure.

Abstract: A surgical scope employing a multi-spectrum ring illuminated surgical camera with a ring lens and a plurality of sources of light set behind the camera and positioned radially about the longitudinal axis of the lens and/or scope.