Illumination systems with optical waveguide having diffuser elements

An illumination system for a medical technology therapy and/or diagnosis system, comprising:

• a light source;
• an optical waveguide having a proximate end and a distal end, the proximal end is connectable or assignable to the light source;
• and
• an optical element arranged at the distal end so that light from the optical waveguide is injected into the optical element, the optical element having a lateral surface with at least in a section that is covered by a reflector layer,
• wherein the reflector layer comprises a mirror layer and the optical element comprises a light-reflecting area covered by the reflector layer, the optical element further comprising a light-transmissive area that remains free of the reflector layer so that the light injected into the optical element is reflected at the light-reflecting area and is emitted from the light-transmissive area, wherein the reflector layer exhibits a reflectance of more than 90% for at least one wavelength range, and
• wherein the reflector layer further comprises a dielectric layer disposed above and/or below the mirror layer, the dielectric layer comprising oxides, nitrides, or oxynitrides of at least one element selected from a group consisting of Si, Al, Ti, Zr, Hf, Y, and Zn.

An illumination system for a medical technology therapy and/or diagnosis system, comprising:

• a light source;
• an optical waveguide having a proximate end and a distal end, the proximal end is connectable or assignable to the light source;
• and
• an optical element arranged at the distal end so that light from the optical waveguide is injected into the optical element, the optical element having a lateral surface with at least in a section that is covered by a reflector layer,
• wherein the reflector layer comprises a mirror layer and the optical element comprises a light-reflecting area covered by the reflector layer, the optical element further comprising a light-transmissive area that remains free of the reflector layer so that the light injected into the optical element is reflected at the light-reflecting area and is emitted from the light-transmissive area, wherein the reflector layer exhibits a reflectance of more than 90% for at least one wavelength range, and
• wherein the mirror layer or the reflector layer is a dielectric multilayer system comprising a sequence of low-index and high-index metal oxides and/or metal nitrites.

A method for producing an illumination system for a medical technology therapy and/or diagnosis system, for use on living tissue, comprising:

• connecting or assigning a light source to a proximal end of an optical waveguide;
• providing an optical element in the form of a diffuser element defining a longitudinal axis and having a lateral surface extending around the longitudinal axis;
• arranging the optical element at a distal end of the optical waveguide so that light from the optical waveguide is injected into the optical element;
• and
• covering at least part of the lateral surface with a light-reflecting reflector layer so that the optical element comprises a light-reflecting area that is covered by the reflector layer and a light-transmissive area that remains free of the reflector layer so that light to be emitted by the optical element is at least partially reflected and light is selectively emitted from the light-transmissive area, wherein the reflector layer exhibits a reflectance of more than 90% for at least one wavelength range.