Spectrally encoded probes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10234694-B2
Application number	US-201715649310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2017
Priority date	Jul 15, 2016
Publication date	Mar 19, 2019
Grant date	Mar 19, 2019

Abstract

A novel endoscope, which can be a spectrally encoded endoscope (SEE) probe having forward-view, side-view, or a combination of forward and side views is provided herein. The SEE probe includes a light guiding component, a light focusing component, and a grating component. The probe is configured to forward a light such as a spectrally dispersed light from the grating component to a sample with no intermediate reflections between light guiding component and the grating component. A triangular grating, such as a staircase grating or an overhang grating may be used as the grating component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A probe having an optical axis, comprising:
a light guiding component; a light focusing component; and a grating component, arranged in this order along the probe optical axis,
wherein the probe is configured for guiding a light from the light guiding component, through the light focusing component and to the grating component in the direction of the probe optical axis, and then forwarding a spectrally dispersed light from the grating component towards a sample with no intermediate reflections between the light guiding component and the grating component, and
wherein the grating component is configured to forward at least one spectral component of the spectrally dispersed light substantially parallel to the probe optical axis.

2. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the grating component comprises a triangular grating.

3. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe is a spectrally encoded endoscopy (SEE) probe.

4. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the grating component comprises a triangular grating having a first surface substantially perpendicular to the direction of the probe optical axis, and a second surface substantially parallel to the direction of the probe optical axis,
wherein the grating component satisfies the following equations:

sin
⁢

⁢

θ
i

=

-
m

⁢

⁢
G
⁢

⁢

λ
0

n
i

-

n
d

sin
⁢

⁢

θ
d

=

n
i

⁢
m
⁢

⁢

G
⁡

(

λ
-

λ
0

)

-

n
d

⁢
m
⁢

⁢
G
⁢

⁢
λ

(

n
i

-

n
d

)

⁢

n
d

where m is the grating component diffraction order, G is the grating component spatial frequency, λ is a wavelength of light incident on the grating component, λ 0 is a specific wavelength of a light diffracted by the grating component, n i and n d are refractive indexes of the incident light and a diffracted light respectively, θ i is the incidence angle of the incident light on the grating component and θ d is the diffraction angle of the light diffracted by the grating component.

5. The probe of claim 1 , wherein a light diffracted from the grating component having a wavelength of between 400 nm and 1000 nm has substantially no 0 th order component.

6. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the grating component comprises a first refractive surface substantially perpendicular to the direction of the probe optical axis.

7. The probe of claim 6 , wherein the grating component comprises a second refractive surface substantially parallel to the direction of the probe optical axis.

8. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the grating component is a transmissive grating configured to enhance one or more of transmitted orders of diffracted light.

9. The probe of claim 8 , wherein the grating component is configured to enhance the 4 th , 5 th , and 6 th orders of diffracted light.

10. The probe of claim 8 , wherein the grating component has a staircase design.

11. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the light focusing component is a gradient index (GRIN) lens or a ball lens.

12. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe is configured for guiding and diffracting a visible light and wherein the grating component is configured to diffract the visible light such that there is at least one wavelength within the visible light having an incidence angle θ i , and a diffraction angle θ d such that θ i =θ d .

13. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe is configured for guiding and diffracting visible light, wherein the grating component is configured to diffract the visible light such that the shortest wavelength of the visible light propagates from the grating component substantially parallel to the probe optical axis.

14. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the grating component is configured to minimize reflection of light incident on the grating component by destructive interference upon reflection.

15. The probe of claim 1 , further comprising:
a reflective surface that is optically flat arranged on a side surface of the grating component,
wherein the grating component and the reflective surface are configured to guide a reflected 0 th order light back onto the grating component.

16. The probe of claim 1 , further comprising a detection fiber positioned and configured to receive at least one reflected light from the sample.

17. The probe of claim 1 , further comprising at least two detection fibers positioned and configured to receive reflected light from the sample,
wherein at least one detection fiber is positioned and configured to receive at least one reflected light from a position on the sample substantially along the probe optical axis and at least one detection fiber is positioned and configured to receive at least one reflected li

Assignees

• Canon Usa Inc

Inventors

• Wang Zhuo
• Takeuchi Seiji

Classifications

• A61B5/0062

  Arrangements for scanning · CPC title

• G01J3/02

  Details · CPC title

• G02B6/32

  having lens focusing means {positioned between opposed fibre ends (with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262)} · CPC title

• G02B23/26

  using light guides {(for illumination G02B23/2469)} · CPC title

• A61B5/0084

  for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters (A61B5/1459 takes precedence) · CPC title