Fiber optic light mixer
AssigneeHutchinson Technology Incorporated
InventorsMark S. Lewandowski, Kenneth R. Quast, Dean E. Myers, Mark A. Schmidt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical structure for combining light from a plurality of individual optical fibers into a single optical transmission device. The structure can be incorporated into the optical probe of a spectrophotometric instrument and includes a plurality of optical send fibers having input and output ends and an optical light mixer having input and output ends. The output ends of the send fibers are secured in optical communication with the input end of the light mixer.
Claims10
An optical structure for combining light from a plurality of individual optical fibers into a single optical transmission device, including:
- a plurality of optical send fibers having input and output ends and diameters, for transmitting light from the input ends to the output ends;
- an optical light mixer having input and output ends and configured to receive and mix the light from the send fibers and transmit the mixed light from the input end through the output end onto a target;
- and
- structure for securing the output ends of the send fibers in optical communication with the input end of the light mixer,
- the output end of the light mixer being sized to transmit light out of the mixer at a power density no higher than the power density of light received from at least one of the send fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.