JP2008224979A - Optical irradiation fiber and method for manufacturing optical irradiation fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical irradiation fiber which is high in manufacturing yield and to provide a method for manufacturing the optical irradiation fiber. <P>SOLUTION: The method for manufacturing the optical irradiation fiber 1 manufactures the optical irradiation fiber 1 which scatters light output from an emission end 2b of an optical fiber 2 by silica fine particles 6 of an optical scattering medium 4 and outputs the scattered light to the side through a tube 13 holding the optical scattering medium 4, includes an optical fiber insertion step of inserting the emission end 2b of the optical fiber 2 from a fiber side insertion part 3d of the tube 13, a mirror insertion step of inserting a spherical mirror 5 which is a ball-like mirror from a mirror side insertion port 3e of a tube 3 and an optical scattering part filling step of filling the optical scattering medium 4 in the tube 3, executes the optical scattering part filling step after passing through either of the optical fiber insertion step or a mirror arrangement step and executes the other of the optical fiber insertion step and the mirror arrangement step after the optical scattering part filling step. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a light irradiation fiber and a method for manufacturing the light irradiation fiber.

  Conventionally, there has been known a light irradiation fiber that diffuses light emitted from an emission end of an optical fiber at a tip portion and outputs the diffused light (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 1). Such a light irradiation fiber is used for PDT (Photodynamic Therapy), thermal therapy, etc. in the medical field, for example.

  In the light irradiation fiber described in Patent Document 1, a ball lens made of zirconia is arranged in front of the emission direction of the emission end of the optical fiber, and the ball lens and the optical fiber are positioned and fixed so that the central axes coincide with each other. Yes. The light irradiation fiber configured as described above diffuses the light emitted from the emission end of the optical fiber through the ball lens.

In the light irradiation fiber described in Non-Patent Document 1, an elliptical elliptical mirror is arranged in front of the emission direction of the emission end of the optical fiber, and the elliptical mirror and the optical fiber are positioned and fixed so that the center axes thereof coincide with each other. is doing. The light irradiation fiber configured as described above reflects light emitted from the emission end of the optical fiber by an elliptical mirror and outputs the light to the side of the light irradiation fiber.
JP 10-511005 Gazette H. van den Bergh, et al. SPIE THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR OPTICALENGINEERING Medical and Fiber Optic Sensors and Delivery Systems 1996 ISSUE2631, page (s) 173-198.

  However, in the light irradiation fiber described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to output light to the side of the light irradiation fiber. On the other hand, in the light irradiation fiber described in Non-Patent Document 1, light can be output to the side of the light irradiation fiber. However, since the center axis of the elliptical mirror needs to coincide with the center axis of the optical fiber, high accuracy is required for positioning the mirror with respect to the optical fiber. As a result, there is a problem that the yield of the light irradiation fiber is lowered.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a light irradiation fiber manufacturing method and a light irradiation fiber with a high yield in order to solve the above-described problems.

  The method of manufacturing a light irradiating fiber according to the present invention includes a light irradiating fiber that scatters light output from an output end of an optical fiber by a light scattering part and outputs the light to a side through a tubular member holding the light scattering part. In the manufacturing method to manufacture, an optical fiber insertion step of inserting the output end of the optical fiber from the fiber side insertion port of the tubular member, and a mirror insertion step of inserting a spherical mirror as a spherical mirror from the mirror side insertion port of the tubular member; A light scattering portion filling step for filling the light scattering portion in the tubular member, and the light scattering portion filling step is performed after passing through either the optical fiber insertion step or the mirror arrangement step, and the optical fiber insertion step. And the other of the mirror arrangement steps is performed after the light scattering portion filling step.

  In the method of manufacturing a light irradiation fiber according to the present invention, the exit end of the optical fiber is inserted from the fiber side insertion port of the tubular member, and the spherical mirror is inserted from the mirror side insertion port, and the light scattering portion is between them. Filled light-irradiating fibers can be manufactured. The light emitted from the output end of the optical fiber is scattered by the light scattering portion, and the light that has passed through the light scattering portion is reflected by the spherical mirror, so that the light is reliably emitted to the side of the light irradiation fiber. Can be output. Since the mirror that further reflects the light output from the output end of the optical fiber and that has passed through the light scattering portion is spherical, the reflection angle of the light reflected by the spherical mirror is independent of the position of the spherical mirror with respect to the optical fiber. Almost unchanged. Therefore, even if the spherical mirror is not positioned with high accuracy with respect to the optical fiber, the same intensity of light output from the light irradiation fiber manufactured by the above manufacturing method can be maintained. Thus, since the alignment at the side of the ball mirror insertion is unnecessary, the yield can be increased.

  In the light scattering portion filling step, the light scattering portion is filled from the mirror side insertion port into the tubular member into which the optical fiber has been inserted by the optical fiber insertion step. In the mirror insertion step, the light scattering portion is filled by the light scattering filling step. It is preferable to insert a sphere mirror into a tubular member filled with. In the light scattering portion filling step, the light scattering portion is filled from the fiber insertion port into the tubular member into which the spherical mirror is inserted by the spherical mirror insertion step, and in the optical fiber insertion step, the light scattering portion is filled by the light scattering portion filling step. It is preferable to insert the optical fiber into the tubular member filled with the portion.

  In addition, the light scattering portion is configured by dispersing a scatterer that scatters light emitted from the emission end in a medium, and the concentration of the scatterer increases from one end to the other end of the light scattering portion. In the light scattering portion filling step, it is preferable to fill the light scattering portion so that one end is located on the fiber side insertion port side and the other end is located on the mirror side insertion port side. When such a configuration is adopted, the light emitted from the exit end of the optical fiber attenuates while propagating through the light scattering portion, but the light scattering efficiency of the light scattering portion increases toward the spherical mirror side, Light can be output with substantially uniform intensity along the longitudinal direction.

  Moreover, it is preferable to further include a metal material covering step of covering a part of the tubular inner surface or outer surface of the tubular member with a metal material that shields light scattered by the light scattering portion. When such a configuration is adopted, the light scattered by the light scattering portion and the light reflected by the spherical mirror are shielded by the metal material and output to the outside from the portion not covered by the metal material. The light output from the fiber can have directivity.

  In the method of manufacturing a light irradiation fiber according to the present invention, an optical fiber, a light scattering portion that is provided on the output end side of the optical fiber, scatters light emitted from the output end of the optical fiber, and an output end of the optical fiber And a tubular member that holds the light scattering portion on the inside and allows the light scattered by the light scattering portion to pass through, and a spherical mirror that is disposed on the opposite side of the optical fiber with respect to the light scattering portion, and is tubular And a spherical mirror held by the member.

  In the light irradiation fiber according to the present invention, the light emitted from the emission end of the optical fiber is scattered by the light scattering portion, and the light that has passed through the light scattering portion is reflected by the spherical mirror, so that the light irradiation fiber Light can be reliably output to the side of the. Furthermore, the mirror that reflects the light emitted from the exit end of the optical fiber to the side of the light irradiating fiber is made spherical so that the spherical mirror is not aligned with the optical fiber when inserted into the tubular member. However, since the reflection angle of the light emitted from the optical fiber hardly changes, it is not necessary to position the spherical mirror with respect to the optical fiber with high accuracy, and the yield can be increased.

  In addition, the light scattering unit is configured such that a scatterer that scatters light output from the emission end is dispersed in a medium, and the concentration of the scatterer increases from the optical fiber side toward the spherical mirror side. Preferably it is. When such a configuration is adopted, the light emitted from the exit end of the optical fiber attenuates while propagating through the light scattering portion, but the light scattering efficiency of the light scattering portion increases toward the spherical mirror side, Light can be output with substantially uniform intensity along the longitudinal direction.

  In addition, a part of the inner surface or outer surface of the tube wall between the emission end of the optical fiber and the spherical mirror among the tube wall of the tubular member is covered with a metal material that shields light scattered by the light scattering portion. Preferably it is. When such a configuration is adopted, the light scattered by the light scattering portion and the light reflected by the spherical mirror are shielded by the metal material and output to the outside from the portion not covered by the metal material. The light output from the fiber can have directivity.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the manufacturing method and light irradiation fiber of a light irradiation fiber with a high yield can be provided.

  Hereinafter, a light irradiation fiber and a method for manufacturing the light irradiation fiber according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals are used for the same elements, and duplicate descriptions are omitted. Further, the dimensional ratios in the figure do not necessarily match those in the description.

  (First embodiment)

  FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a light irradiation fiber 1 according to the first embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the light irradiating fiber 1 irradiates a diseased part (not shown) in the body with high-power (high output) light having a wavelength that is absorbed by a living cell or the like, thereby necrotizing cells in the diseased part. Therefore, it can be suitably used for hyperthermia treatment. As shown in FIG. 1, the light irradiation fiber 1 is filled in the optical fiber 2, a tube (tubular member) 3 into which the emission end 2 a of the optical fiber 2 is inserted from the fiber side insertion port 3 d, and the tube 3. A light scattering medium 4 as a light scattering portion and a spherical mirror 5 inserted from the mirror side insertion port 3e of the tube 3 are included. In FIG. 1, as will be described later, the mirror side insertion port 3e is shown in a closed state.

  The optical fiber 2 is for propagating light from outside the body to the vicinity of the affected part in the body, and the light L incident from the incident end (not shown) is propagated through the optical fiber 2 and emitted from the emission end 2b. To do. The optical fiber 2 is composed of a silica core fiber and a plastic clad. An example of the diameter d1 of the optical fiber 2 is 0.8 mm.

  The tube 3 is transmissive to the light L emitted from the emission end 2b. The tube 3 is formed of a material that contracts when heat is applied. The tube 3 is provided on the side where the optical fiber 2 is arranged in the pipe portion 3a and the elongated cylindrical pipe portion 3a located in the middle portion. A cylindrical heat-shrinkable portion 3b that is provided on the pipe portion 3a on the side where the spherical mirror 5 is disposed, and is provided on the mirror-side insertion port 3e side of the outer peripheral surface and thermally shrinks. It is comprised by.

  The inner diameter d2 of the pipe portion 3a has an inner diameter d2 larger than the diameter d1 of the optical fiber 2, and 1.0 mm is exemplified as the inner diameter d2 of the pipe portion 3a. The length l of the pipe portion 3a is exemplified by 200 mm or more.

  Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a metal foil 8 is disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe portion 3a. The circumferential length on the outer peripheral surface of the metal foil 8 should be shorter than the circumferential length on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe portion 3a, and the longitudinal length of the metal foil 8 is substantially the same as the length of the pipe portion 3a. Or longer. In this case, the shape of the cross section substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in the metal foil 8 is an annular shape in which a part thereof is open, and a part of the outer peripheral surface of the pipe portion 3 a is covered with the metal foil 8. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, since the light L scattered by the silica fine particles 6 is output within a predetermined irradiation angle θ from the region not covered with the metal foil 8, the irradiation light L has directivity. Will have. Note that the metal foil 8 is not necessarily disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the pipe portion 3a, and may be disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the pipe portion 3a as shown in FIG.

  The heat-shrinkable portion 3b hermetically seals the fiber side insertion port 3d of the tube 3 into which the emission end 2a of the optical fiber 2 is inserted, and the emission end 2a of the optical fiber 2 is housed in the pipe portion 3a. It is fixed to the output end 2a of the optical fiber 2 by thermal contraction.

  The heat contraction part 3c is closed by heat contraction, and as a result, the spherical mirror 5 is covered and the tip of the tube 3 is hermetically sealed.

  In addition, the pipe part 3a and the heat contraction parts 3b and 3c may be integrally formed. For example, like the tube 13 of the light irradiation fiber 11 shown in FIG. 4, the pipe part 13a and the heat contraction part 13c are integrated. The pipe part 3a and the heat contraction part 3c may be integrated, or the pipe part 3a, the heat contraction part 3b, and the heat contraction part 3c may be integrated.

  The light scattering medium 4 is configured by dispersing silica fine particles 6 as a scatterer for scattering light in a silicone gel 7 as a medium, and between the emission end 2 b of the optical fiber 2 and the spherical mirror 5. Is arranged. The light scattering medium 4 has a three-layer structure including three light scattering layers 4a, 4b, and 4c having different concentrations of the silica fine particles 6, and the light scattering layers 4a to 4c are spherical mirrors 5 from the optical fiber 2 side. Toward the side, the light scattering layers 4a, 4b, 4c are arranged in the order of the concentration of the silica fine particles 6 along the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 2.

  In the light scattering medium 4, one light scattering layer enters the other light scattering layer side at the boundary between adjacent light scattering layers among the three light scattering layers 4 a to 4 c, and an interface between the two adjacent light scattering layers. Is curved. More specifically, the light scattering layer 4b enters the light scattering layer 4a side, the boundary surface P1 of the light scattering layers 4a and 4b is curved toward the light scattering layer 4a side, and the light scattering layer 4c is the light scattering layer 4b side. The boundary surface P2 between the light scattering layers 4b and 4c is curved toward the light scattering layer 4b. In this configuration, regions having different concentrations of the silica fine particles 6 overlap in the radial direction between the light scattering layer 4a and the light scattering layer 4b and between the light scattering layer 4b and the light scattering layer 4c. Become.

  Examples of the diameter of the silica fine particles 6 include 5 to 20 μm, and examples of the concentration of the silica fine particles 6 in the light scattering layers 4a, 4b, and 4c include 4 wt%, 7 wt%, and 24 wt%, respectively.

  The spherical mirror 5 receives and reflects the light L emitted from the emission end 2 b of the optical fiber 2. The spherical mirror 5 is made of a metal such as gold, silver, copper, or aluminum. The material of the spherical mirror 5 is preferably aluminum when the light L emitted from the optical fiber 2 is in the ultraviolet region, and is preferably gold, silver, or copper in the red region to the near infrared region of visible light. The diameter of the spherical mirror 5 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the tube 3, and the spherical mirror 5 is fitted into the tube 3 so that the spherical mirror 5 does not come out of the tube 3. The diameter of the sphere mirror 5 is preferably the same as or more than the inner diameter of the tube 3 (to the extent that the sphere mirror 5 is pushed a little forcibly).

  Next, the manufacturing method of the light irradiation fiber 1 is demonstrated, referring FIGS.

  First, as shown in FIG. 5, the metal foil 8 rounded with the curvature substantially the same as the curvature of the internal peripheral surface of the pipe part 3a is inserted in the pipe part 3a of the tube 3 (metal material covering process). At this time, the metal foil 8 is set to a size that does not cover the entire inner peripheral surface of the pipe portion 3a in the circumferential direction, and a partially opened circle having a cross-sectional shape substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the rolled metal foil 8 The ring shape is used.

  Then, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the emission end 2a of the optical fiber 2 is inserted into the tube 3 from the fiber side insertion port 3d of the tube 3 (optical fiber insertion step). Specifically, the optical fiber 2 is inserted to a position where the exit end 2b of the optical fiber 2 is accommodated in the pipe portion 3a of the tube 3, and the heat shrinkage portion 3b is thermally contracted by pressing the heated soldering iron against the heat shrinkage portion 3b. The fiber side insertion port 3 d is hermetically sealed, and the tube 3 is fixed to the optical fiber 2.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8, the light scattering medium 4 is filled into the tube 3 using a syringe (not shown) from the mirror side insertion port 3 e of the tube 3. Specifically, three silicone gels (mediums) 7 having different concentrations of the silica fine particles 6 to be the light scattering layers 4a to 4c are sequentially pushed out from the syringe into the tube 3 to thereby form the light scattering layers 4a to 4 having a three-layer structure. 4c is formed. Thus, by extruding the silicone gels 7 having different concentrations of the silica fine particles 6 into the tube 3 in order, one light scattering layer of the adjacent light scattering layer enters the other light scattering layer side, and the curved boundary surface P1 and P2 are formed. The concentration of the silica fine particles 6 in each of the light scattering layers 4a, 4b, and 4c increases the light scattering efficiency from the fiber side insertion port 3d toward the mirror side insertion port 3e, and the light scattering medium 4 is directed toward the spherical mirror 5. Then, adjustment is made so as to compensate for the attenuation of the intensity of the light L propagating. The concentration of the silica fine particles 6 in each of the light scattering layers 4a to 4c for this adjustment can be determined using, for example, Lambert-Beer law. In this case, the absorbed light intensity according to the Lambert-Beer law corresponds to the scattered light intensity of each layer, and the absorption coefficient corresponds to the light scattering efficiency. The light scattering medium 4 is filled so that a residual space C is generated in the pipe portion 3a of the tube 3 so that the light scattering medium 4 does not leak when the spherical mirror 5 is inserted into the tube 3 (light scattering portion). Filling step). Thus, by filling the light scattering medium 4, the concentration of the scatterer increases from the end of the light scattering medium 4 on the optical fiber 2 side toward the opposite end of the optical fiber.

  Next, the syringe is withdrawn from the tube 3, and the sphere mirror 5 is inserted from the mirror side insertion port 3e of the tube 3 as shown in FIG. 9 (sphere mirror insertion step). At this time, since the outer diameter of the spherical mirror 5 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the tube 3, the spherical mirror 5 is fitted into the tube 3 and fixed.

  After that, as shown in FIG. 10, the heated soldering iron is pressed against the heat shrinking portion 3 c to heat shrink the heat shrinking portion 3 c, and the mirror side insertion port 3 e of the tube 3 is hermetically sealed so as to cover the ball mirror 5. Thus, the light irradiation fiber 1 is designated.

  Next, the action and effect of the light irradiation fiber 1 will be described by taking a thermal treatment as an example. In addition, examples of the treatment target of the hyperthermia include prostatic hypertrophy and wrinkles.

  The light irradiation fiber 1 is inserted into the body from the side where the tube 3 is provided, and a portion between the emission end 2b of the optical fiber 2 filled with the light scattering medium 4 and the spherical mirror 5 is disposed in the vicinity of the affected part. . When inserting the light irradiation fiber 1 into the body, for example, a catheter may be inserted in advance and the light irradiation fiber 1 may be passed through the catheter. Moreover, when inserting the light irradiation fiber 1 from a urethra, an anus, etc., you may insert the light irradiation fiber 1 directly, without utilizing a catheter.

  Next, light L having a wavelength (for example, a wavelength of 1064 nm) and a large power (for example, 4 W) that can be absorbed by cells in the affected area is incident on the optical fiber 2 from an incident end (not shown) of the optical fiber 2. The light L incident on the optical fiber 2 propagates through the optical fiber 2 and exits from the exit end 2b, and is scattered by the silica fine particles 6 while propagating through the light scattering medium 4 toward the spherical mirror 5 side. The light L scattered by the silica fine particles 6 is output as irradiation light L in a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber 2, that is, on the side of the light irradiation fiber 1. On the other hand, the light L that travels straight without being scattered by the silica fine particles 6 is reflected by the spherical mirror 5 and is output as irradiation light L to the side of the light irradiation fiber 1. The irradiation light L output in this way is irradiated to the affected area, and is absorbed by the cells, and the temperature of the cells is raised to cause necrosis of the cells.

  As described above, in the method of manufacturing the light irradiation fiber 1 and the light irradiation fiber 1, the emission end 2b of the optical fiber 2 is inserted from the fiber side insertion port 3d of the tube 3, and the spherical mirror 5 is inserted from the mirror side insertion port 3e. The light irradiation fiber 1 in which the light scattering medium 4 is filled between them can be manufactured. Then, the light L emitted from the emission end 2 b of the optical fiber 2 is scattered by the silica fine particles 6 when propagating through the light scattering medium 4 and is output to the side. Furthermore, the light L that has passed through the light scattering medium 4 is reflected by the spherical mirror 5, so that the light L can be reliably output to the side of the light irradiation fiber 1 and the affected area can be irradiated with the light L. If the spherical mirror 5 is not provided, the light L that has passed through the light scattering medium 4 is not irradiated onto the affected area. On the other hand, since the light irradiation fiber 1 includes the spherical mirror 5, the light L output from the emission end 2b can be reliably emitted to the affected part. Therefore, the light L input to the optical fiber 2 can be used efficiently. Further, a mirror that reflects the light emitted from the emission end 2 b of the optical fiber 2 to the side of the light irradiation fiber 1 is a spherical sphere mirror 5, so that when the sphere mirror 5 is inserted into the tube 3, Even if it is not aligned with the fiber 2, the reflection angle of the light L emitted from the optical fiber 2 is hardly changed, so that it is not necessary to position the spherical mirror 5 with respect to the optical fiber 2 with high accuracy. Can be high.

  The light L emitted from the emission end 2b of the optical fiber 2 attenuates while propagating through the light scattering medium 4, but the light scattering efficiency of the light scattering medium 4 increases toward the spherical mirror 5 side. It is easy to output the light L from the side of the light irradiation fiber 1 with substantially uniform intensity along the longitudinal direction. In addition, since one layer of the adjacent layers among the plurality of light scattering layers 4a to 4c enters the other layer at the boundary portion between the adjacent light scattering layers 4a, 4b, and 4c, the boundary portion between the adjacent layers , The regions having different concentrations of the silica fine particles 6 overlap in a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. In this case, in the light L emitted from the emission end 2b, the attenuation of the intensity of the light L caused by the light L propagating in each layer in the longitudinal direction is compensated by scattering in the region where the silica fine particle 6 concentration is higher. Is possible. As a result, the intensity in the longitudinal direction of the light L output from the light irradiation fiber 1 is further uniformized.

  Further, the light L scattered by the silica fine particles 6 and the light L reflected by the spherical mirror 5 are shielded by the metal foil 8 and output to the outside from a portion not covered with the metal foil 8, from the light irradiation fiber 1. The output light has directivity. As a result, for example, the affected area can be selectively irradiated with the light L, and when high-power light is used in a thermal treatment or the like, if the light is irradiated to other than the affected area, the area may be damaged. By providing directivity to the irradiated light L as described above, it is possible to perform treatment while suppressing the influence on the living body.

  Moreover, the spherical mirror 5 can be easily formed by forming the spherical mirror 5 from metal.

  (Second Embodiment)

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 11-14, the manufacturing method of the light irradiation fiber concerning this invention and 2nd Embodiment of a light irradiation fiber are demonstrated.

  FIG. 11 is a side sectional view showing the light irradiation fiber 21 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, the light irradiation fiber 21 includes an optical fiber 2, a tube 3 in which the emission end 2 a of the optical fiber 2 is inserted from the fiber side insertion port 3 d, and a polylactic acid rod 22 inserted into the tube 3. And a spherical mirror 5 inserted from the mirror side insertion port 3e of the tube 3.

  The polylactic acid rod 22 is formed in a rod shape from polylactic acid and is inserted between the optical fiber 2 and the spherical mirror 5. A plurality of scatterers 23 for scattering light are dispersed in the polylactic acid rod 22. The scatterer 23 is obtained by crystallizing polylactic acid, which is the main component of the polylactic acid rod 22. Since the incident and propagating light is scattered at the interface between the crystallized portion and the surrounding amorphous portion, the crystallized portion functions as the scatterer 23. In the polylactic acid rod 22, the concentration of the scatterer 23 increases from the optical fiber 2 side toward the spherical mirror 5.

  In the tube 3, a refractive index adjusting agent 24 is filled between the optical fiber 2, the spherical mirror 5, and the polylactic acid rod 22.

  Next, the manufacturing method of the light irradiation fiber 21 is demonstrated, referring FIGS.

  First, a polylactic acid rod 22 made of polylactic acid is manufactured using an extrusion method or the like (not shown). Then, the polylactic acid rod 22 is immersed in, for example, an oil bath (not shown) at 100 ° C. and heated to be crystallized. At this time, the concentration change of the scatterer 23 along the longitudinal direction is applied to the polylactic acid rod 22 by changing the time during which the polylactic acid rod 22 is immersed in the oil bath.

  Next, similarly to the light irradiation fiber 1, the metal foil 8 is inserted into the pipe portion 3 a of the tube 3, the emission end 2 a of the optical fiber 2 is inserted from the fiber side insertion port 3 d of the tube 3, and the optical fiber 2 is inserted. Fix the tube 3.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 12, after filling the tube 3 with the refractive index adjusting agent 24 using the syringe (not shown) from the mirror side insertion port 3e of the tube 3, as shown in FIG. The polylactic acid rod 22 is inserted into the inside. At this time, the polylactic acid rod 22 is inserted into the tube 3 so that the concentration of the scatterer 23 increases from the end on the optical fiber 2 side toward the end on the opposite side of the optical fiber 2. Then, as shown in FIG. 14, the ball mirror 5 is inserted and fitted from the mirror side insertion port 3 e of the tube 3, and the mirror side insertion port 3 e of the tube 3 is covered so as to cover the ball mirror 5 as shown in FIG. 11. The light irradiation fiber 11 is sealed in an airtight manner.

  As described above, in the method of manufacturing the light irradiation fiber 21 and the light irradiation fiber 21, the optical fiber 2 is inserted from the fiber side insertion port 3 d of the tube 3, and the refractive index adjusting agent 24 is filled into the tube 3. 22 is inserted, and the spherical sphere mirror 5 is inserted from the mirror side insertion port 3e of the tube 3 to manufacture the light irradiation fiber 1, so that the light L emitted from the emission end 2b of the optical fiber 2 is polylactic acid. When propagating through the rod 22, it is scattered by the scatterer 23, and the light L that has passed through the polylactic acid rod 22 is reflected by the spherical mirror 5, so that the light L is reliably output to the side of the light irradiation fiber 21. can do. In the light irradiation fiber 1 and the method for manufacturing the light irradiation fiber 1, the effect of using the spherical mirror 5 is the same as in the case of the first embodiment.

  The present invention has been specifically described above based on the embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the optical fiber is inserted from the fiber side insertion port 3d of the tube 3. 2 is inserted, the light scattering medium 4 (polylactic acid rod 22) is filled in the tube 3, and the spherical sphere mirror 5 is inserted from the mirror side insertion port 3e of the tube 3 so that the light irradiation fiber 1 is manufactured. As described above, the spherical ball mirror 5 is inserted from the mirror side insertion port 3 e of the tube 3, the light scattering medium 4 (polylactic acid rod 22) is filled in the tube 3, and light is transmitted from the fiber side insertion port 3 d of the tube 3. The light irradiation fiber 1 may be manufactured by inserting the fiber 2.

  In the above embodiment, the inner diameter and length of the tube 3, the diameter of the spherical mirror 5, the diameter of the silica fine particles 6, the concentration of the light scattering medium 4, and the like have been specifically described. However, it is set as appropriate according to the use environment or the like.

  In the above embodiment, the spherical mirror 5 is made of metal. However, as shown in FIG. 15, for example, a spherical body (base material) 9a made of ceramic or the like is formed, and the surface is plated. The spherical mirror 9 may be formed by covering the metal layer 9b by vapor deposition. In this case, the spherical body 9a of the spherical mirror 9 can be formed of a material other than metal, and the range of material selection can be expanded.

  In the second embodiment, the optical fiber 2 and the polylactic acid rod 22 are separately inserted into the tube 3. However, the polylactic acid rod 22 is fixed to the emission end 2 b of the optical fiber 2. After being integrated, the optical fiber 2 may be inserted from the fiber side insertion port 3 d of the tube 3 and inserted into the tube 3 filled with the refractive index adjusting agent 24. Note that the refractive index adjusting agent 24 may not be filled in the tube 3.

It is the sectional side view which showed the light irradiation fiber which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the II-II sectional view taken on the line in FIG. In FIG. 2, it is sectional drawing when arrangement | positioning of metal foil is changed. It is the sectional side view which showed the other light irradiation fiber which concerns on this invention. It is the figure which showed 1 process of the manufacturing process of the light irradiation fiber of FIG. It is the figure which showed the process after the process shown in FIG. 5 among the manufacturing processes of the light irradiation fiber of FIG. It is the figure which showed the process after the process shown in FIG. 6 among the manufacturing processes of the light irradiation fiber of FIG. It is the figure which showed the process after the process shown in FIG. 7 among the manufacturing processes of the light irradiation fiber of FIG. It is the figure which showed the process after the process shown in FIG. 8 among the manufacturing processes of the light irradiation fiber of FIG. It is the figure which showed the process after the process shown in FIG. 9 among the manufacturing processes of the light irradiation fiber of FIG. It is the sectional side view which showed the light irradiation fiber which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is the figure which showed 1 process of the manufacturing process of the light irradiation fiber of FIG. It is the figure which showed the process after the process shown in FIG. 12 among the manufacturing processes of the light irradiation fiber of FIG. It is the figure which showed the process after the process shown in FIG. 13 among the manufacturing processes of the light irradiation fiber of FIG. It is sectional drawing which showed the other spherical mirror which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,11,21 ... Light irradiation fiber, 2 ... Optical fiber, 3,13 ... Tube (tubular member), 4 ... Light scattering medium (light scattering part), 5, 9 ... Spherical mirror, 6 ... Silica fine particle (scattering body) ), 7 ... Silicone gel (medium), 8 ... Metal foil (metal material), 9a ... Base material, 9b ... Metal layer (metal material), 22 ... Polylactic acid rod (light scattering part), 23 ... Scatterer.

Claims (8)

In a manufacturing method for manufacturing a light irradiation fiber that scatters light output from an output end of an optical fiber by a light scattering portion and outputs the light to a side through a tubular member holding the light scattering portion.
An optical fiber insertion step of inserting the emission end of the optical fiber from a fiber side insertion port of the tubular member;
A mirror insertion step of inserting a spherical mirror, which is a spherical mirror, from the mirror side insertion port of the tubular member;
A light scattering portion filling step of filling the light scattering portion in the tubular member;
With
The light scattering portion filling step is performed after passing through either the optical fiber insertion step or the mirror arrangement step, and the other of the optical fiber insertion step and the mirror arrangement step is performed as the light scattering portion filling step. The light irradiation fiber manufacturing method characterized by implementing after this. In the light scattering portion filling step, the light scattering portion is filled from the mirror side insertion port into the tubular member into which the optical fiber has been inserted by the optical fiber insertion step,
2. The light irradiation fiber manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein, in the mirror insertion step, the spherical mirror is inserted into the tubular member filled with the light scattering portion in the light scattering filling step. In the light scattering portion filling step, the light scattering portion is filled from the fiber insertion port into the tubular member into which the spherical mirror is inserted by the spherical mirror insertion step,
2. The optical fiber manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein, in the optical fiber insertion step, the optical fiber is inserted into the tubular member filled with the light scattering portion in the light scattering portion filling step. The light scattering portion is configured by dispersing a scatterer that scatters light emitted from the emission end in a medium,
The concentration of the scatterer increases from one end of the light scattering portion to the other end,
In the light scattering portion filling step, the one end is located on the fiber side insertion port side,
The method of manufacturing a light irradiation fiber according to claim 1, wherein the light scattering portion is filled so that the other end is positioned on the mirror side insertion port side.   The metal material covering step of covering a part of the inner surface or the outer surface of the tube wall of the tubular member with a metal material that shields the light scattered by the light scattering portion, further comprises a metal material covering step. The manufacturing method of the light irradiation fiber of Claim 1. Optical fiber,
A light scattering portion that is provided on the output end side of the optical fiber and scatters light emitted from the output end of the optical fiber;
A tubular member that holds the output end of the optical fiber and the light scattering portion inside, and allows light scattered by the light scattering portion to pass through;
A spherical mirror, disposed on the side opposite to the optical fiber with respect to the light scattering portion, and held by the tubular member;
A light irradiating fiber comprising: The light scattering portion is configured by dispersing a scatterer that scatters light output from the emission end in a medium,
The light irradiation fiber according to claim 6, wherein the concentration of the scatterer increases from the optical fiber side toward the spherical mirror side.   Of the tube wall of the tubular member, a part of the inner surface or the outer surface of the tube wall between the emission end of the optical fiber and the spherical mirror is covered with a metal material that shields the light scattered by the light scattering portion. The light irradiation fiber according to claim 6 or 7, wherein

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