Methods and apparatus related to a distal end of a side-fire optical fiber having multiple capillary components

摘要

In one embodiment, an apparatus may include a first capillary component. A second capillary component may be disposed outside of the first capillary component and may have an inner surface, wherein a portion of the inner surface may be heat-fused to an outer surface of the first capillary component. The apparatus may also include a portion of an optical fiber disposed inside of the first capillary component and the portion of the optical fiber can have an outer surface. A portion of the outer surface of the optical fiber may be heat-fused to an inner surface of the first capillary component. The optical fiber may have a distal surface configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation propagated along a longitudinal axis of a distal end portion of the optical fiber in a lateral direction through the inner surface of the first capillary component and the inner surface of the second capillary component.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first capillary extending along a longitudinal axis and having an open distal end, wherein a flat distal end face of the open distal end of the first capillary is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; a second capillary disposed outside of the first capillary and having an inner surface and a flat open distal end face, wherein a portion of the inner surface of the second capillary is heat-fused to an outer surface of the first capillary; an outer cover cap coupled to and disposed outside of the second capillary, and forming a distal end of the apparatus and an internal flat surface; and an optical fiber, a portion of the optical fiber disposed inside of the first capillary and having an outer surface, wherein a portion of the outer surface of the optical fiber is heat-fused to an inner surface of the first capillary, the optical fiber having an angled distal surface configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation propagated along a longitudinal axis of a distal end portion of the optical fiber in a lateral direction through the inner surface of the first capillary and the inner surface of the second capillary, and the outer cover cap is configured to reflect stray laser energy internal to the apparatus, wherein the distal end face of the first capillary and the distal end face of the second capillary extend distally beyond the distal end surface of the optical fiber and the internal flat surface of the outer cover cap abuts the distal end face of the first capillary and the distal end face of the second capillary.