Fiber optic needle probe

A fiber optic needle probe comprising a hollow needle having a lumen, the hollow needle supporting a single optical fiber inserted inside the lumen along a length of the single optical fiber so that the single optical fiber is centrally disposed inside the hollow needle,

• wherein a flexural rigidity of the hollow needle is higher than that of the single optical fiber by at least a factor ten,
• wherein the single optical fiber is fixated inside the hollow needle by an adhesive layer therebetween,
• wherein a distal end of the single optical fiber is formed by a convex tip protruding beyond a distal end of the hollow needle,
• wherein the distal end of the single optical fiber is polished together with the distal end of the hollow needle to form combined distal ends of the single optical fiber and hollow needle into a continuous convex tip of the fiber optic needle probe,
• wherein the continuous convex tip forms a flush surface between respective interfaces of the distal end of the optical fiber and the distal end of the hollow needle.

A fiber optic needle probe comprising a hollow needle having a lumen, the hollow needle supporting a single optical fiber inserted inside the lumen along a length of the single optical fiber so that the single optical fiber is centrally disposed inside the hollow needle,

• wherein a flexural rigidity of the hollow needle is higher than that of the single optical fiber by at least a factor ten,
• wherein the single optical fiber comprises a core and a cladding surrounding the core,
• wherein a distal end of the single optical fiber is formed by a convex tip protruding beyond a distal end of the hollow needle,
• wherein the convex tip of the single optical fiber is formed by a convex tip of the core protruding beyond the cladding at the distal end of the single optical fiber,
• wherein the distal end of the single optical fiber is polished together with the distal end of the hollow needle to form combined distal ends of the single optical fiber and hollow needle into a continuous convex tip of the fiber optic needle probe, and
• wherein the continuous convex tip forms a flush surface between respective interfaces of the distal end of the optical fiber and the distal end of the hollow needle.

A fiber optic needle probe comprising a hollow needle supporting a single optical fiber along a length of the single optical fiber that is centrally disposed inside the hollow needle, wherein the single optical fiber comprises a core, a cladding surrounding the core, and a coating surrounding the cladding,

• wherein a distal end of the single optical fiber is formed by a convex tip protruding beyond a distal end of the hollow needle,
• wherein the cladding protrudes beyond the coating surrounding the cladding at the distal end of the single optical fiber,
• wherein the distal end of the single optical fiber including each of the core, cladding, and coating is formed together with the distal end of the hollow needle to form combined distal ends of the single optical fiber and hollow needle into a continuous convex tip of the fiber optic needle probe, and
• wherein the continuous convex tip forms a flush surface between respective interfaces of the distal end of the optical fiber and the distal end of the hollow needle.