IMAGING DISTAL END OF MULTIMODE FIBER

摘要

Where a multimode fiber (208) is used for light delivery in a microscope system (200) and a transverse distribution of light exiting a distal end (230) of the fiber is substantially uniform, the distal end is imaged onto a plane (250) of a sample (248) to be probed by the microscope system, or at a conjugate plane (252). Alternatively, the distal end is imaged onto a plane sufficiently close to the sample plane or the conjugate plane such that a radiant intensity of light at the sample plane or the conjugate plane is substantially uniform. In the case of a multifocal confocal microscope system (300), the distal end of the multimode fiber is imaged onto a plane (352) of a segmented focusing array (310). Alternatively, the distal end is imaged onto a plane sufficiently close to the segmented focusing array plane such that a radiant intensity of the light at the segmented focusing array plane is substantially uniform.