Light Guides for Endoscopy
Flexible light guides for precision applications in industry and medical technology.
Light guides that fit your endoscope. Thanks to many years of expertise and experience in fiber optics, combined with consistent quality standards, our flexible light guides are used in a wide range of endoscopes.
Outstanding Light Transmission and Precise Control
Efficient Light Transmission
Our products enable efficient, low-loss light transmission through optimised NA values.
Color-Accurate Imaging
Minimal colour shift: illuminated objects retain their natural colour, even with long light guides.
High Light Collection
Through an optimised numerical aperture (NA), our light guides capture maximum light right at the coupling point.
The Right Numerical Aperture (NA)
for High Image Quality in Endoscopy
The numerical aperture is a critical factor for light capture and the emission angle of light guides. It directly influences the angle (θ) at which light enters or exits the light guide: a higher NA enables a wider capture angle and therefore greater light intake.
Our light guides are available with various NA values to allow optimal adaptation to your endoscopy requirements. Thanks to our manufacturing precision, we achieve high light capture, essential for image quality in your endoscopes.
Maximum Durability & Reliability in use
Beyond optical performance, we place great emphasis on the mechanical and thermal resilience of our light guides.
Autoclavable Systems
For the medical sector, we offer fully sterilisable light guides. High-quality materials ensure compliance with strict hygiene standards and the preservation of light transmission, even after numerous autoclave cycles.
Custom Connector Technology
We manufacture custom end ferrules, connectors and precision components at the micrometre scale. These are matched to your endoscopes and light sources for seamless, loss-free system integration.
Why Choose Light Guides from FOS Inon Fiber Optics?
Quality “Made in Germany” pays off. Thanks to our proprietary manufacturing and testing processes, we offer custom solutions for numerous applications, from laboratories to aerospace.
Manufacturing Process
To ensure our light guides and fiber optic products meet the highest standards, we rely on a specialized manufacturing process. This allows us to guarantee exceptional chemical and tactile robustness so they can perform optimally in their respective environments. Precision is a critical factor in this, true to our motto: “Making the impossible happen.”
Materials Used
- Borosilicate: Glass with high temperature resistance and chemical resilience.
- PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate): A thermoplastic, lightweight plastic with high light transmittance.
- Silica-Hard Clad: A robust plastic coating for improved strength and durability.
- Silica-Silica for UV and NIR Wavelengths: Our specialized glass fibers, optimized for the transmission of light in the ultraviolet (UV) and near-infrared (NIR) ranges.
PMMA is a thermoplastic material, known under brand names such as Plexiglas or acrylic glass. In fiber optics, PMMA is used for:
- Flexible, cost-effective fiber optic cables are used
- Large core diameters (up to several millimeters)
- Applications using visible light
PMMA fibers are less temperature-resistant than glass fibers (max. 70-100°C), but significantly more flexible and less expensive. This makes them a particularly good choice for lighting or sensors where extreme temperatures are not present.
Borosilicate (also called “boron glass”) is a special type of glass with a high boron oxide content. It is the same material used to make heat-resistant laboratory glassware and baking molds. In fiber optics, it offers:
- Excellent chemical resistance to acids and alkalis
- Good temperature resistance up to approximately 400-500°C
- Low thermal expansion (less stress during temperature changes)
Ideal for standard industrial applications and lighting.
Optional Specifications:
- Various apertures available
- Polarization can be maintained
- Anti-reflection coating possible
- Various lengths, diameters, bending radii, converters, and vacuum feedthroughs optional
- Various connectors and ferrules suitable for industry and medicine
SMA (Sub-Miniature A) is a standard screw-type connector for fiber optic cables, designed for laboratory equipment and spectrometers. The connector has a 1/4″-36 thread. FSMA is the fiber optic version with a specially protected ferrule for the sensitive fiber end face. Standardized connectors allow you to connect our cables directly to your equipment, or we can manufacture custom connectors for your specific application.
Silica-silica fibers consist entirely of high-purity quartz glass (silicon dioxide), both the core and the cladding. This construction offers:
- Extremely high temperature resistance up to 1000°C
- Optimal transmission in the UV range (below 300 nm)
- Excellent transmission in the NIR range (1000-2500 nm)
- Minimal absorption losses
Therefore, these fibers are primarily used in high-performance lasers, UV curing, and spectroscopy.
Applications in der Endoskopie
Our light guides are suitable for a wide range of endoscopy applications where precise light transmission, colour fidelity and minimal diameter are essential. Compatible with the end fittings of endoscopes from numerous leading manufacturers, or custom-made to your specifications.
Typical Applications:
- Compatible connection to light source and endoscope.
- Glass fiber light guides for use with high-performance light sources.
- Liquid light guides for high light transmission in the UV spectrum.
- Applications in medical technology and industry.
… and much more!
Learn More
Do you require further information, a customized quote, or expert consultation for your project? Wir stehen Ihnen jederzeit zur Verfügung.
Reliability doesn’t happen by chance.
At FOS Inon Optics, quality is not just a promise—it is a standard that can be measured. Our development and manufacturing processes for fiber-optic systems are ISO 9001:2015 certified. This establishes the foundation for reliable performance, reproducible results, and trust wherever optical precision is critical.
