Active alignment system and method for optimizing optical coupling of multiplexer for laser-driven intravascular lithotripsy device

A catheter system for treating a treatment site within or adjacent to a vessel wall or heart valve, the catheter system comprising:

• a first light source that is configured to generate a source beam;
• a plurality of light guides that are each configured to receive the source beam from the first light source, each light guide having a guide proximal end, the plurality of light guides including at least a first light guide and a second light guide;
• a multiplexer that is configured to receive the source beam from the first light source, the multiplexer being configured to direct the source beam from the first light source to each of the plurality of light guides;
• a multiplexer alignment system that is operatively coupled to the multiplexer, the multiplexer alignment system including:
• a second light source that is configured to generate a probe source beam that is configured to be directed by the multiplexer alignment system;
• a first beamsplitter that is configured to receive (i) the source beam from the first light source, and (ii) the probe source beam from the second light source, the first beamsplitter being configured to direct the probe source beam and the source beam toward the guide proximal end of each of the first light guide and the second light guide with the source beam at a known offset distance from the probe source beam so that (i) the probe source beam scans across the guide proximal end of the first light guide, (ii) the source beam subsequently scans across the guide proximal end of the first light guide, (iii) the probe source beam scans across the guide proximal end of the second light guide, and (iv) the source beam subsequently scans across the guide proximal end of the second light guide, the probe source beam being configured to scan across the guide proximal end of each of the plurality of light guides to produce a backscattered energy beam that is scattered off of the guide proximal end of each of the plurality of light guides;
• and a photodetector that is configured to generate a signal based at least in part on the at least a portion of the backscattered energy beam that is directed toward the photodetector;
• and
• a system controller that is configured to analyze the signal generated by the photodetector to determine optical coupling between the probe source and the plurality of light guides and cause the first light source to generate the source beam at a start time to optically couple the source beam with the proximal end of one or both of the first light guide and the second light guide, the start time being determined by the system controller based on the signal generated by the photodetector and the known offset distance.

A catheter system for treating a treatment site within or adjacent to a vessel wall or heart valve, the catheter system comprising:

• a first light source that is configured to generate a source beam;
• a second light source that is configured to generate a probe source beam;
• a plurality of light guides that are each configured to receive the source beam from the first light source, each light guide having a guide proximal end, the plurality of light guides including at least a first light guide and a second light guide;
• a multiplexer that is configured to receive the source beam, the multiplexer being configured to alternatively direct the source beam to each of the plurality of light guides;
• a first beamsplitter that is configured to receive (i) the source beam from the first light source, and (ii) the probe source beam from the second light source, the first beamsplitter being configured to direct the probe source beam and the source beam toward the guide proximal end of each of the first light guide and the second light guide with the source beam at a known offset distance from the probe source beam so that (i) the probe source beam scans across the guide proximal end of the first light guide, (ii) the source beam subsequently scans across the guide proximal end of the first light guide, (iii) the probe source beam scans across the guide proximal end of the second light guide, and (iv) the source beam subsequently scans across the guide proximal end of the second light guide, the probe source beam being configured to produce a backscattered energy beam that is scattered off of the guide proximal end of each of the plurality of light guides;
• a photodetector that is configured to generate a signal based at least in part on the at least a portion of the backscattered energy beam that is directed toward the photodetector;
• and
• a system controller that is configured to:
• cause the probe source beam to scan across one or both of the first light and the second light guide at a known speed;
• analyze the signal generated by the photodetector to determine optical coupling between the probe source beam and the plurality of light guides;
• and
• cause the first light source to generate the source beam at a start time, the starting being determined by the system controller based on determining an optical coupling between the probe source beam and the proximal end of one of the first light guide and the second light guide, the known offset distance, and the known speed.