COUPLING OF HIGH INTENSITY LIGHT INTO LOW MELTING POINT OPTICAL FIBERS

摘要

A fiber optic illumination system with increased power handling capabilities for low melting point fiber optics (24) uses an optical homogenizer (29). Homogenizers of the present invention preferably comprise a rod with polygon al cross-section. The output intensity of the optical homogenizer (29) is substantially uniform such that the output fiber optic (24) will not be damaged by hot spots created by non-uniform intensity light (26).