NANOSTRUCTURED OPTICAL FIBER ILLUMINATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS

摘要

An illumination system for biological applications, wherein the system employs at least one nanostructured optical fiber. The fiber is preferably wound around a support structure to form a light-source fiber portion where guided light is scattered from the fiber outer surface to form an extended light source that emits substantially uniform radiation. The bends in the light-source fiber portion are formed to enhance the amount of scattering in the nanostructured fiber. Counter-winding the at least one fiber serves to increase the uniformity of the radiation by countering the effects of decreasing emitted radiation along the length of the light-source fiber portion. Multiple fibers wound in sequence around a support structure, with each fiber coupled to the light source, can be used to form a lengthy extended source. The light-source fiber portion can be configured to suit a variety of biological chamber geometries.