Patent ID: 8432542

Claim:
A fiber optic probe assembly having a distal sampling end and a proximal end, said probe comprising: (a) a front GRIN lens having a distal end, a proximal end, a central axis, a length and a transverse dimension; (b) at least one collection GRIN lens having a distal end, a proximal end, a central axis, a length and a transverse dimension, the distal end of the at least one collection GRIN lens in optical communication with the proximal end of the front GRIN lens, (c) a collection optical fiber having a distal end, a proximal end a central axis and a transverse dimension, the proximal end of at least one of the collection GRIN lenses being in optical communication with the collection optical fiber the central axis of the collection optical fiber at its distal end being parallel to the central axis of the front GRIN lens, and the transverse dimension of the collection optical fiber at its distal end being within the footprint of the front GRIN lens; and (d) a light delivery optical fiber having a distal end, a proximal end and a central axis, its central axis at its distal end being parallel to the central axis of the front GRIN lens and its transverse dimension at its distal end being within the footprint of the front GRIN lens.