Patent · US Expired

Chemical imaging fiberscope

US6788860B1 · kind B1 · utility

13Cited by
7References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 19, 2000
Grant dateSep 7, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 19, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/32
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A fiberscope device is disclosed which is suitable for video imaging, laser Raman spectroscopy and laser Raman spectroscopic (i.e. chemical) imaging. The fiberscope design minimizes fiber background interference arising from the laser delivery fiber optic and the coherent fiber optic light gathering bundle while maintaining high light throughput efficiency through the use of integrated spectral filters. In the fiberscope design, the laser delivery fiber optic is offset from the coherent fiber optic light gathering bundle. The laser delivery field is captured entirely by the light gathering field of view of the coherent fiber bundle. The fiberscope incorporates spectral filter optical elements that provide environmental insensitivity, particularly to temperature and moisture. The fiberscope is suited to the analysis of a wide range of condensed phase materials (solids and liquids), including the analysis of biological materials such as breast tissue lesions and arterial plaques, in such a manner to delineate abnormal from normal tissues.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.