Optical fiber system with sealed fiber bundle

摘要

An optical fiber imaging system includes an optical fiber bundle including a plurality of optical fibers, an elongated housing receiving and at least partially enclosing the optical fiber bundle therein, and an optical window disposed at an end of the elongated housing and thereby defining a cavity within the elongated housing next to the end face of the fiber bundle, the cavity being adapted to retain a substance of inert chemistry such as index matched oil for suppressing environmental degradation at the end face of the fiber bundle. The oil is preferably made of silicone petroleum products with the index of refraction being advantageous to the preferred optical characteristics of the entire imaging system.