Patent ID: 8702321
Filing Date: 2014-04-22
Classification: G01J,G02B

Abstract:
1. A fiber optic probe assembly having a distal sampling end, a proximal end, a light delivery path therethrough and a light collection path therethrough, said probe comprising: (a) a converging lens disposed at or near the distal sampling end of the probe, said converging lens having a distal end, a proximal end, a central axis, a length, a transverse dimension and a focal length; (b) at least one collection optical fiber having a distal end, a proximal end, a central axis and a transverse dimension, the proximal end of the converging lens in optical communication with the distal end of the at least one collection optical fiber, the central axis of the at least one collection optical fiber at its distal end being parallel to the central axis of the converging lens, and the transverse dimension of the at least one collection optical fiber at its distal end being within the footprint of the converging lens; and (c) at least one light delivery optical fiber having a distal end, a proximal end, a central axis, and a transverse dimension, its central axis at its distal end being parallel to the central axis of the converging lens and its transverse dimension at its distal end being within the footprint of the converging lens, wherein the proximal-distal orientation of the converging lens, wherein the proximal-distal orientation of the converging lens, the at least one collection optical fiber, the light delivery optical fiber, and the probe assembly are co-directional, wherein the collection optical fiber and the light delivery optical fiber are disposed in a side-by-side relationship at their distal ends, wherein the converging lens, the at least one collection optical fiber, and the at least one light delivery optical fiber are mutually sized and configured such that the light delivery path and the light collection path at least substantially do not intersect in the converging lens, wherein the converging lens, the at least one collection optical fiber, and the at least one light delivery optical fiber are mutually configured such that the light delivery path and the light collection path are intersecting distally beyond the distal end of the probe assembly, and wherein the converging lens is a single convex lens having a convex face and a flat face, the single convex lens orientated in the assembly such that its convex face is in optical communication with and faces the distal ends of the light delivery optical fiber and the light collection optical fiber and the flat face of the single convex lens faces in the distal direction.