DEVICE FOR COUPLING LOW NUMERICAL APERTURE LIGHT INPUT INTO HIGH NUMERICAL APERTURE OPTICAL INSTRUMENTS

摘要

An illumination system includes a light source and a tapered bundle of fusedoptical fibers (10) having a light input end (12) configured for receivinglight, the light input end (12) having a first cross-sectional area (d1) and afirst numerical aperture (na1), the tapered bundle (10) having an output end(16) configured for outputting light, the output end (16) having a secondcross-sectional area (d2) and a second numerical aperture (na2). The bundle offused optical fibers (10) is tapered between the input end (12) and the outputend (16) such that there is a difference in size between the first and secondcross-sectional areas, so that light exiting the output end (16) has a highernumerical aperture. A first fiber optic light guide (28) is coupled to thelight source for receiving light from the light source and delivering light tothe input end (12) of the tapered bundle. A second fiber optic light guide(32) delivers light from the output end (16) of the bundle through the secondfiber optic light guide (32) of the endoscope or other lighted instruments.