Posted by
Kyle Michael Douglass on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/Laser-beam-sharing-via-multi-mode-fibers-tp7584037.html
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Hello everyone,
In my lab we have two microscope setups in two different rooms separated
by a hallway between them. One of our microscopes has a free-space laser
that must remain in place; however, I would like to use this laser with
the microscope located in the other room while maintaining its ability
to be used with its current microscope. Both microscopes accept
free-space beams as inputs for fluorescence microscopy in an
epi-illumination geometry.
I am considering the following solution: introduce a flipper mirror
before the fixed laser to allow me to switch between a path that would
send the beam into its current microscope and another path that would
couple the beam into a long multi-mode fiber. I would then run the fiber
above the ceiling panels between the labs and onto the table of the
other setup, where the output light would be collimated and introduced
like normal into the other microscope. I do not require a single-mode
beam for the second microscope. In fact, I am proposing to use a
multi-mode beam to achieve a better power coupling efficiency into the
fiber and to prevent burning the fiber cladding by allowing for larger
focal spot sizes when coupling. I also am not concerned about the
speckle on the sample since I am averaging over multiple speckle
patterns during the acquisition of a single frame.
My primary concern is the stability of the input and output couplers.
The microscopes are used by people with little optics experience and
this solution must be as easy as possible to switch between the two
paths. Ideally, the only action required would be to flip the mirror up
or down (after the initial alignment, of course).
Here are my questions:
1. Has anyone tried such an approach with satisfactory results and would
be willing to comment?
2. Would vibration of the fiber significantly affect its propagation
direction upon leaving the output coupler?
3. Would a "standard" flipper mirror or magnetic mount have sufficient
return accuracy to avoid having to adjust the input coupler alignment
every time we switched between microscopes?
4. Is there another obvious solution I am missing?
Thanks for the responses!
Kyle
--
Kyle M. Douglass, PhD
Post-doctoral researcher
The Laboratory of Experimental Biophysics
EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
http://kmdouglass.github.iohttp://leb.epfl.ch