All-optical power and data transfer in catheters using an efficient LED

Diagnostic value of minimally invasive medical devices can be improved by putting electronic functionality at the tip. At the same time the device should remain slim, flexible and affordable. We show transfer of high power and data over a catheter by a single optical fiber and LED. We find that simultaneous photovoltaic power conversion and data communication can be achieved via Photo-Induced Electro Luminescence (PEL), but only in case the LED has a high bidirectional conversion efficiency (η>0.3). This eliminates the necessity of using thin electrical wires with fragile interconnects that compromise bandwidth as well as RF and MRI compatibility.

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