Patent ID: 7242826

Claim:
An optical fiber lateral scanner for a miniature optical fiber probe comprising: a moving part and a stationary part; the moving part including a movable current conductor and an optical fiber, the optical fiber being rigidly fixed to the current conductor, the optical fiber having a proximal part and a distal part and serving as a flexible cantilever with a capability for the distal part of the optical fiber of being deflected in a direction substantially orthogonal to its own axis; the stationary part comprising a bearing support with the proximal part of the optical fiber being fixedly attached to it, and a permanent magnet system; the permanent magnet system having a path for an optical radiation to pass from the proximal part of the optical fiber lateral scanner to the distal part of the optical fiber lateral scanner and including a first permanent magnet with a magnetization direction that is substantially aligned with the own axis of the optical fiber, the first permanent magnet having a proximal end face and a distal end face, and the current conductor being placed in the magnetic field of the permanent magnet system and including at least one current conductor loop, the plane of the current conductor loop being substantially aligned with the own axis of the optical fiber.