Full Spectrum wins STTR award to improve laser surgery fibers

Full Spectrum wins STTR award to improve laser surgery fibers

The US Department of Human Services awarded Full Spectrum Inc. (Ames, IA) a $100,000 grant to develop enhanced fibers for laser surgery. In collaboration with Iowa State University (Ames, IA), Full Spectrum has produced an optical fiber with ultralow thermal-expansion properties that cause it to resist fracturing and structural degradation during surgery. Currently, the fiber is drawn from preforms core drilled by Corning from telescope mirror blanks. Under the terms of the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract, Full Spectrum will work with researchers at Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ) to develop ultralow-expansion preforms especially for the surgical application. Future plans include building an on-site fiber drawing facility at Full Spectrum.