High Strength, Large Core Pure Silica Fibers For Laser Surgery

Abstract

Recently many researchers, doctors and instrument companies have begun developing fiber optic laser power delivery systems to accomplish less traumatic surgery or localized irradiation treatment(1). With high power levels, particularly in short bursts, large core fibers are needed to keep the power densities from approaching the damage threshold of silica. Among the many advantages of using optical fibers in laser surgery are the following: microsurgery can be employed, trauma is reduced, access to interior through catheter introduction into vascular, gastrointestinal or respiratory tracts, accurate application of laser power through a flexible lightweight medium to provide localized irradiation as well as surgical removal, and the devices are sterilizable and of moderate cost permitting one-time use (disposable) probes. To achieve these wonderful gains in surgical procedures, the optical fibers must satisfy many optical and mechanical requirements. In use the optical fibers are often required to bend around curves or obstructions to reach the desired application area. Large tensile stresses can occur on the outer radius of the bent fiber, especially with large core fibers, thus high strength fibers are needed. Furthermore, since body fluids are primarily water, stress corrosion and fatigue(2-6) will occur. Therefore, the fibers should have excellent fatigue resistance as well as high strength. This paper further describes these requirements and presents details about an optical fiber which meets these requirements and provides additional very useful properties. These fibers with pure silica cores are called Hard Clad Silica, HCS*, fibers because of their hard bonded cladding over silica structure.