DEVICE FOR TRANSFERING HIGH ENERGY ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION FROM A LASER TO AN OPTICAL FIBER AND PROCESS TO PRODUCE THIS DEVICE

摘要

A device for transferring high energy electromagnetic radiation from a laser to an optical fiber, which comprises a cone-shaped coupler having a wide proximal end and a narrow distal end, wherein the proximal end is in the form of a convex surface which acts as a focussing lens adapted to receive radiation from a laser and to transmit said radiation into and through said optical fiber and the distal end is attached to the input end of the optical fiber to form an integral assembly therewith, said cone-shaped coupler having a taper angle theta defined by the equation IMAGE wherein N.A. is the numerical aperture of the fiber material and mu is the refractive index of the material of the coupler at the wavelength of the incident radiation. A process for removing an obstruction by laser surgery using said device is also disclosed.