POLARIZATION SCRAMBLING FOR INTRA-BODY FIBER OPTIC SENSOR

• Main Authors: TASKER, Diana Margaret, EBERLE, Michael J, ZHAO, Shukui, ROURKE, Howard Neil
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 11.05.2022
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVEREDIN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; DIAGNOSIS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; MEASURING; MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; PHYSICS; SURGERY; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; TESTING

In an example, an optical system can include a polarization scrambler coupleable to a tunable first optical source configured to generate a coherent optical output. The system can include an intra-body optical sensor such as a an intravascularly-deliverable optical fiber transducer, configured to be coupled to the tunable first optical source through the polarization scrambler, the polarization scrambler configured to vary a polarization state of the optical energy provided by the tunable first optical source, the intravascularly-deliverable optical fiber transducer configured to reflect a portion of the optical energy modulated in response to a vibration, pressure, or strain. The system can include a processor circuit configured to obtain information indicative of the optical energy reflected from the intravascularly-deliverable optical fiber transducer, and to process information from the vibration, pressure, or strain modulating the optical energy from the intravascularly-deliverable optical fiber transducer using different polarization states established by the polarization scrambler.