Patent ID: 7280726
Filing Date: 2007-10-09
Classification: G02B,Y10S

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for illuminating a macroscopically-sized specimen for observation along a viewing axis, the apparatus comprising: a stage for supporting a specimen to be observed; a first illumination source of first radiation of a first color; a second illumination source of second radiation of a second color, different from the first color; a multiple-end fiber optic cable having at least two input and at least two output ends, a first multiplicity of fiber optic strands receiving the first radiation into a first one of the at least two input ends and a second multiplicity of fiber optic strands receiving the second radiation into a second one of the at least two input ends; wherein each strand of the first and second multiplicity of fiber optic strands provides a discrete optical path, and wherein the first multiplicity of fiber optic strands is substantially and randomly interspersed with the second multiplicity of fiber optic strands within the multiple-end fiber optic cable, so that the radiation output at each of the at least two output ends of the fiber optic cable is substantially everywhere a combination of the first radiation and the second radiation to illuminate the specimen supported upon the stage so that the specimen may be observed along the view axis.