SOI lens structure for medical probe

US8675293B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Axsun Technologies, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Dale C. Flanders · Lexington, US
• James W. Getz · Blacksburg, US
• Peter S. Whitney · Lexington, US
• Mark E. Kuznetsov · Lexington, US
• Christopher C. Cook · Bedford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 25, 2010
• Grant date: Mar 18, 2014
• Expiry date: Dec 22, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/32
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical probe for emitting and/or receiving light within a body comprises an optical fiber that transmits and/or receives an optical signal, a silicon optical bench including a fiber groove running longitudinally that holds an optical fiber termination of the optical fiber and a reflecting surface that optically couples an endface of the optical fiber termination to a lateral side of the optical bench. The fiber groove is fabricated using silicon anisotropic etching techniques. Some examples use a housing around the optical bench that is fabricated using LIGA or other electroforming technology. A method for a forming lens structure is also described that comprises forming a refractive lens in a first layer of a composite wafer material, such as SOI (silicon on insulator) wafers and forming an optical port through a backside of the composite wafer material along an optical axis of the refractive lens. The refractive lens is preferably formed using grey-scale lithography and dry etching the first layer.