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SCHOTT® Luminous Diffusers
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Technical details of SCHOTT® Luminous Laser Diffusers

SCHOTT® Luminous Diffusers offer superior laser delivery solutions for demanding applications due to the outstanding technical properties and characteristics of their raw materials. As a company that’s looking to form strong partnerships, we can tailor those qualities for a bespoke solution.

A new generation of laser delivery systems

Excellent homogeneity

SCHOTT® Luminous Diffusers deliver highly homogeneous light output designed to support predictable illumination in demanding medical device applications. For cylindrical diffusers, axial radiation variance of typically ±10% depending on diffuser length and configuration. Very high reproducibility of the radiation profile, typically around ±5%, can be achieved for defined designs. Homogeneity is characterized using camera‑based (CCD) image evaluation of the radiation profile.

Superior optical efficiency

SCHOTT® Luminous Diffusers achieve high optical efficiency to support effective light delivery across visible and near‑infrared wavelengths, from approximately 400 to 1000 nm and near‑infrared operation up to 2 µm, depending on diffuser design and power density requirements. For cylindrical diffuser designs, optical efficiencies above 70% are achieved, with typical values in the range of 80–90% depending on diffuser length and configuration. Optical efficiency is characterized using an integrating (Ulbricht) sphere, enabling reliable assessment of the total emitted light from the diffuser geometry.

Powerful laser delivery

Laser‑based medical device designs increasingly require stable light delivery without any hot spots at elevated power levels. SCHOTT® Luminous Diffusers are designed to support such requirements through efficient light transmission and the thermal properties of glass‑based materials. Depending on diffuser geometry and application, power settings ranging from several hundred milliwatts per centimeter of diffuser length up to higher total power levels can be supported.

Mechanical integration consideration​

SCHOTT® Luminous Diffusers are based on rigid glass‑based structures that enable precise and reproducible optical performance. Mechanical properties such as minimum bending radius and tensile strength therefore depend on diffuser configuration and should be considered during device routing and integration, particularly in the diffuser and splicing zone. Early consideration of these parameters supports robust and reliable device designs.
Scattering profiles
General Data

Scattering profiles

Compared to bare fiber tips, laser diffusers enable controlled light scattering and uniform irradiance distribution, reducing local hot spots and improving treatment consistency. The radiation profiles shown illustrate typical light‑distribution characteristics of SCHOTT® Luminous cylindrical and spherical diffusers. These profiles demonstrate the homogeneous emission patterns achievable along the diffuser length or around the distal tip, as well as the reproducibility of optical performance across different diffuser configurations.


SCHOTT® Luminous Cylindrical Diffusers

Radiation profile (homogeneity). 

Graph showing the radiation profile (homogeneity) of SCHOTT® Luminous Cylindrical Diffusers 

 

SCHOTT® Luminous Spherical Diffusers

360° radiation profile (homogeneity). 

Graph showing the 360° radiation profile (homogeneity) of SCHOTT® Luminous Spherical Diffusers
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FAQs

A laser fiber diffuser is an optical component that converts a laser beam into a controlled, homogeneous light distribution. Depending on the geometry, light is emitted radially along a defined diffuser length (cylindrical diffuser), isotropically from the tip (spherical diffuser), forward with controlled beam shaping (front-emitting diffuser), or in a customized shape. Laser fiber diffusers are used for uniform, homogeneous illumination in minimally invasive, intracavitary, and surface-based medical treatments.
Light distribution is achieved through controlled scattering within the diffuser, enabling defined angular emission profiles and uniform irradiance across the treatment zone.
Cylindrical diffusers emit light radially along a defined length and are used for uniform illumination over extended regions. Spherical diffusers emit light isotropically in 360° and are used for point-source illumination inside cavities or tissues.
Yes. Laser diffusers are commonly integrated into minimally invasive medical devices for intracavitary, interstitial, and endoluminal light delivery.
Typical applications include photodynamic therapy (PDT), photoimmunotherapy (PIT), laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT), antimicrobial PDT (aPDT), and endovenous laser treatment (EVLT).
Diffuser dimensions depend on geometry. Cylindrical diffusers typically range from a few millimeters up to several centimeters in length, while spherical diffuser tips are typically in the sub-millimeter to millimeter range.
Key selection parameters for laser diffusers include: Emission geometry (radial, isotropic, or forward), diffuser length or emission area, wavelength compatibility (visible to NIR), power density and thermal behavior, and integration constraints such as fiber diameter and routing.

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