Novel fiber-optic probe design for depth-resolved fluorescence measurements: Monte Carlo simulations

Abstract

Fluorescence spectroscopy diagnostics on epithelium tissues requires being able to obtain depth resolved measurements. We study here an optical probe combining a ball lens, a flat tip excitation fiber and a bevel collection fiber. Varying the angle of the bevel collection fiber is seen to be a way of changing the depth of the fluorescence collected signal. Fixing the excitation- collection distance, we observe that large bevel angles of the collection fiber tip allows to augment the fluorescence collected signal of the stroma, whereas small angles improve the signal from the epithelial layer.