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Purpose: To assess the ablation efficiency of the Superpulsed Thulium Fiber Laser (SP-TFL) and investigate the thermal effects of SP-TFL. Methods: A SP-TFLwas employed to evaluate ablation efficiency. Fresh ex-vivo pig kidneys and ureters were utilized to evaluate the renal pelvis and ureter temperature changes, different irrigation rates(0, 15, 38mL/min) and a long pulse width were used. Results: The research indicated that as laser output power increased, ablation rates significantly increased. Ablation rates(mg/min) were higher and the energy per ablated mass(J/mg) was lower at lower frequencies(10–50 Hz). Under the same frequency and single pulse energy, super short and short pulse widths demonstrated higher ablation rates at higher frequencies (exceeding 100 Hz). The temperature of the renal pelvis and ureter decreased with increasing irrigation rates. In the renal pelvis, without irrigation, the temperature quickly reached the critical threshold of 43℃. The irrigation rate was 15 ml/min and power was no more than 18 W, the renal pelvis temperature did not reach 43℃. When the irrigation rate were 38 ml/min, the temperature did not risen to 43℃. In the ureter, without irrigation, the temperature also quickly reached 43℃. The temperature reached 43℃ when the power exceeded to12W with an irrigation rate of 15 ml/min. With an irrigation rate of 38 ml/min, the temperature reached 43℃ at a laser power of 30 W. Conclusions: The SP-TFL demonstrated promising ablation effectiveness especially for lower frequencies and super short and short pulse widths model. Proper irrigation rates, single pulse energy, frequency and pulse width are crucial during lithotripsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes an additional feature of optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a guidance system for laser surgery, aiming to enhance ablation efficiency during laser osteotomy. A long-range Bessel-like beam OCT system is integrated with an Er:YAG laser. The signal sensitivity of the OCT system is measured under various conditions encountered during laser osteotomy. The results demonstrate that the OCT sensitivity decreases from 87.53 dB to 79.54 dB and 68.93 dB in the presence of debris and water, respectively. These findings highlight the potential application signal sensitivity of OCT as a criterion for detecting the accumulation of water and debris, which could lead to a reduction in ablation efficiency during laser osteotomy using Er:YAG laser.

The results of ablation experiments are given for the case for a scanning beam of nanosecond range pulsed laser radiation using targets made of high-carbon U13 and low-carbon St30 steel grades. The dependence of the depth and power efficiency of ablation on the power density is determined in the range q = 4 × 108–1010 W/cm2. It is established that the maximum efficiency of removing the material is obtained when q = 4 × 109 W/cm2 for a target made of U13 steel and q = 7 × 108–5 × 109W/cm2 for St30 steel. The size distribution is estimated for emitted microparticles. It is established that irradiation of high-carbon steel results in generating a flow of particles deposited on the target surface (back flow). The mechanism of this back flow is associated with formation of nanosized condensate particles. On the basis of the reflectivity measurements and on the studies of the microstructure of the irradiated surface using electron microscopy methods, a hypothesis is put forward that the higher ablation efficiency of high-carbon steel U13 compared to low-carbon steel St30 depends on the process of condensation of supersaturated carbon vapor on the target surface. This process can increase the absorption capacity of the irradiated target surface. As a result, the efficiency of material removal during the subsequent scanning pass is increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser surface texturing of metals is usually performed using pulsed laser sources. Short and ultrashort pulsed laser systems offer the highest machining quality and processing flexibility. Most of these beam sources however feature relatively low average powers or high system prices. Continuous wave fiber lasers in comparison feature high average powers at moderate costs. In this work the laser power of a continuous-wave fiber laser is rapidly modulated to investigate the possibilities to improve laser surface texturing processes by periodically changing the interaction between the surface tension in the melt pool and the vapor pressure created during high power laser processing. It was found that the intermittent nature of modulated continuous wave laser radiation can improve the melt expulsion from the processing area, leading to high material removal rates and ablation efficiencies while also limiting the heat input into the substrate material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the ablation efficiency of nanosecond pulsed laser (NPL) in the processing of metallic materials, a physical and mathematical model of the NPL induced ablation characteristics in aluminum alloy was established under the auxiliary heating (AH) irradiated by the millisecond pulsed laser (MPL) based on the basic theories of heat transfer and fluid dynamics, and the ablation characteristics were calculated and analyzed, the temperature fields, the vapor recoil pressure and melt pool sizes were obtained under different auxiliary heat temperature (AHT). The results showed that the AH pretreatment will improve the absorptivity of the target because the absorptivity is a function of the temperature, the temperature and the vapor recoil pressure induced by the NPL are higher than that at room temperature(300 K), so the temperature exceeds easily gasification point, and the vapor recoil pressure exceeds easily too the reverse suppression pressure even if irradiated by a low energy NPL, which can cause shock wave or even phase explosion, much more metal vapor and molten material splash into air from the ablation zone, and the depth and the area of the ablation pool are all increased significantly. Therefore, the AH can improve the ablation efficiency of the NPL by improving the energy utilization of the NPL. This work can provide some theoretical basis and technical support for the development of the laser processing metal field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Femtosecond laser (fs-laser) is a novel tooth preparation tool but its ablation efficiency is insufficient. The purpose is to establish a new fs-laser tooth ablation method based on a dual-wedges path ablation system, and explore the efficiency of tooth hard tissue and dental restorative materials ablation. Materials and methods: Extracted third molars, pure titanium, cobalt-chromium alloy, gold alloy, and 3Yzirconia were prepared into samples. These samples were rotary ablated by an fs-laser with dual-wedges. The wavelength was 1030 nm and the pulse duration was 250 fsec. Laser parameters were set as a repetition frequency of 25 kHz, the power percentages as 50% for dental tissues, and 60% for restorative materials. The optical wedge angle was set as 0°, 20°, 40°, 60°, and 80° for restorative materials, 0°, 20°, 30°, 40°, and 60° for enamel, and 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, and 40°for dentin. Three times of ablation was processed at each parameter to obtain total 90 ablation microcavities of 6 kinds of materials. The diameter, depth, and volume of microcavities were measured by confocal laser microscopy and plotted against optical-wedge-angle in curves of different materials. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test whether the ablation efficiency between different angles was statistically significant. Results: The ablation efficiency of each material at different optical-wedge-angle was statistically significant (p < 0.05) and tends to be correlated. For dental hard tissue, the enamel ablation efficiency was 208.1 times and dentin ablation efficiency were 65.2 times than before when the wedge angle was 40°. For pure titanium, zirconia, cobalt-chromium, and gold alloys, the ablation efficiencies were 3.1, 10.7, 81.5, and 128.8 times than before when the rotation angle was 80°. Conclusions: The ablation efficiency of dental hard tissues and restorative materials was significantly increased with the increase of laser oblique incidence angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a systematic study on using the burst mode ablation to limit the heat-affected zone (HAZ) while maintaining a high ablation efficiency using a high-power industrial picosecond laser with burst fluence larger than 10 J/cm2. An extended three-dimensional two-temperature model (3D-TTM) was employed to study the mechanism of the HAZ development and to predict the ablation efficiency with experimental validation. The essentiality of including the lattice heat conduction to predict accurate HAZ was discussed. The effect of the number of pulses per burst and pulse-to-pulse separation time was investigated. The optimal number of pulses per burst was obtained by using the 3D-TTM for copper and stainless steel. The 3D-TTM suggested that by using the optimal number of pulses per burst, a maximum reduction of 77% and 61% in HAZ could be achieved for copper and stainless steel respectively. And the corresponding ablation efficiency will be increased by 24% and 163% for copper and stainless steel at the same time. This study showed that burst mode laser machining at high fluence is an effective way of increasing efficiency while limiting the HAZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monel ^® alloy 400 has excellent corrosion resistance and finds applications in marine industries. The processing of marine components requires high processing efficiency and a quality finish. Hence, this research aims to investigate the effects of the laser processing parameters such as laser fluence, scanning velocity, hatching distance, and the scanning pass on the ablation rates and efficiency, chemistry, and nanomechanical properties of the Monel ^® alloy 400 after pulsed picosecond (ps) laser ablation. From the experimental findings, the ablation depth increases as the laser fluence increases while decreasing as the scanning velocity increases. Surface roughness was noted to increase as the laser fluence increased. The findings demonstrated that the ablation rate increases as laser fluence increases while ablation efficiency decreases. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) showed that the elemental composition of laser-ablated zones is almost similar to that of the polished sample. X-ray spectroscopy (XPS) shows that the outer layer on the surface of Monel ^® alloy 400 is composed of NiO and CuO. The hardness and Young’s modulus of the laser-processed alloy were found to be less than those of the bulk material. This study can be used to establish optimal processing parameters for the ultrafast ps laser processing of materials to achieve high ablation efficiency with a high-quality surface finish for industrial applications.

Objectives: Laser-based endoscopic procedures present special challenges to deliver energy for ablation or coagulation of target tissues. When optical fiber-target quasi-contact (< 0.5 mm distance) cannot be maintained or is undesirable, the creation of intervening vapor bubbles and channels provide for the necessary transmission of laser energy to the target. This work investigates the characteristics and the dynamics of vapor channels that directly affect ablation efficiency and ablation rate and are known to effect stone movement, all of which impact procedure efficiency and safety., Methods: A simplified, experimental model for thulium fiber laser (1940 nm) lithotripsy consists of a water-filled cuvette and a vertically oriented laser fiber (200 μm core diameter) with its tip at 9 mm for "quasi-free" bubble generation and at vapor channel working distances 1-5 mm from and centered on the transparent cuvette bottom simulating a target's surface. Laser power transmission is recorded and synchronized with video frames from a high-speed camera (24,260 frames per second) to capture the induced vapor channels' and bubbles' development., Results: Laser-induced channel transmission from 0% to 100% for 1, 2, and 3 mm fiber-target distances undergoes oscillations with average periods of 0.32, 0.64, and 1.0 ms, respectively, for 500 W laser output power. For fixed fiber-target distances of 0.5, 1, and 2 mm, the variation of these average oscillation frequencies across laser powers from 500 to 1000 W is much smaller, not exceeding 14%. For fiber-target distances in the range of 1-5 mm, the fraction of the 500 W laser's total pulse energy delivered to the target for 1, 2, and 3 ms pulses linearly decreases from 0.78 to less than 0.2. The channel and bubble dynamics begin with a spherical seed bubble expansion centered on the distal fiber tip that evolves into a pear shape whose surface exhibits periodic irregularities attributable to laser beam interruption by water droplets within the developing bubble., Conclusions: The study of laser-induced channel oscillations provides quantitative information relating fiber-target distance to channel oscillation frequency and energy transmission onto a target. These oscillations directly effect ablation efficiency and ablation rates that are important parameters for the optimization of a procedure's safety and duration. Insights that may lead to further reduction in retropulsion are also presented. Lasers Surg. Med. 00:00-00, 2024. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

This research focuses on the ablation process of Polypropylene by femtosecond pulses. Single Pulses and bursts of 2, 3 and 4 pulses have been used to ablate squared cavities with side lengths of 2 mm. The pulse overlap and hatch distance have been adapted to the different pulse emitting modes used in the present study to ensure that the same fluence have reached the cavity in each case. A comprehensive study was performed to assess the effect of the temporal distance between pulses and bursts on the cavity depth and morphology, ablation efficiency and recast layer height. The laser parameters that provide the best results in terms of minimum redeposited material and maximum ablation efficiency have been obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of laser ablation micro-propulsion, the property of double-layer tape has significant impact on the propulsion performance. In this paper, low temperature plasma was used to treat the surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to improve its adhesion with energetic polymer. The PET surface pre- and post-plasma treatment was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the enhancement mechanism of the interface adhesion was discussed. In addition, the ablation performance of the double-layer tape after the plasma treatment was studied. The results showed that the plasma etching effect increased the root mean square roughness of the PET surface from 1.74 nm to 19.10 nm. In addition, after the plasma treatment, the number of C–OH/COOH bonds and O=C–O bonds increased, which also greatly improved the adhesion between the PET and energetic polymers. In the optimization of the ablation performance, the optimal laser pulse width was about 200 μs. The optimal values of the specific impulse (Isp), impulse coupling coefficient (Cm), and ablation efficiency (η) were 390.65 s, 250.82 μN/W, and 48.01%, respectively. The optimization of the adhesion of the double-layer tape and the ablation performance lay the foundation for the engineering application of laser ablation micro-thrusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of ex vivo exposure by an ultrafast all-fiber Holmium laser system to porcine longissimus muscle tissues. A simple Ho-doped laser system generated ultrashort pulsed radiation with less than 1 ps pulse width and a repetition rate of 20 MHz at a central wavelength of 2.06 μm. Single-spot ex vivo experiments were performed at an average power of 0.3 W and different exposure times of 5, 30 and 60 s, varying the total applied energy in the range of 1.5–18 J. Evaluation of laser radiation exposure was performed according to the depth and diameter of coagulation zones, ablation craters and thermal damage zones during the morphological study. Exposure by ultrashort pulsed radiation with an average power of 0.3 W showed destructive changes in the muscle tissue after 5 s and nucleation of an ablative crater. The maximum ablation efficiency was about 28% at the ablation depth and diameter of 180 μm and 500 μm, respectively. The continuous-wave radiation impact at the same parameters resulted only in heating of the near-muscular tissue, without ablation and coagulation traces. Exposure to tissue with an average power at 0.3 W of ultrashort pulsed radiation led, within 30 and 60 s, to similar results as caused by 0.5 W of continuous-wave radiation, although with less carbonization formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To investigate the ablation efficiency of super-pulse thulium fiber laser (SPTFL) with different laser settings and fiber usage. Materials and Methods: SPTFL machine was attached with different fibers. Artificial stones were fixed in water, whereas laser fiber was driven on a platform for ablation. Pulse energy, frequency, fiber-moving speed, fiber-to-stone distance, and fiber size were adjusted in each trial. The cross-sectional area of craters on the lateral stone surface was measured for comparison of ablation rate, combined with fiber-moving speed. Results: There was a trend that the ablation rate increased as pulse energy or frequency increased. When pulse energy was set as 0.2 J and frequency was increased from 50 to 150 Hz, the cross-sectional area of the crater was enlarged from 0.21 to 0.37 mm2 (p < 0.05); when the frequency was set as 100 Hz and pulse energy was increased from 0.1 to 0.3 J, the crater was enlarged from 0.10 to 0.45 mm2 (p < 0.05). Furthermore, energy demonstrated greater impact on ablation rate and the crater was enlarged from 0.20 mm2 in the 0.1 J × 300 Hz group to 0.44 mm2 in the 0.3 J × 100 Hz group (p < 0.05). Then fiber was set at different moving speeds with the same laser setting; the ablation rate of 3 mm/second group was 3.64 times higher than 0.5 mm/second group (p < 0.05). Ablation diminished as fiber-to-stone distance grew. A 200 μm fiber produced thinner and deeper fissure than 272 and 550 μm fibers, and the ablation rate was the highest for the 200 μm fiber. Conclusion: Pulse energy is a more important factor in influencing ablation efficiency compared with frequency. Closer fiber-to-stone distance, faster fiber movement, and smaller fiber size increase ablation efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials processing with ultrafast lasers with pulse durations in the range between about 100 fs and 10 ps enable very promising and emerging high-tech applications. Moreover, the average power of such lasers is steadily increasing; multi kilowatt systems have been demonstrated in laboratories and will be ready for the market in the next few years, allowing a significantly increase in productivity. However, the implementation of ultrafast laser processes in applications is very challenging due to fundamental physical limitations. In this paper, the main limitations will be discussed. These include limitations resulting from the physical material properties such as the ablation depth and the optimal fluence, from processing parameters such as air-breakdown and heat accumulation, from the processing system such as thermal focus shift, and from legal regulations due to the potential emission of soft X-rays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high processing efficiency and quality are constant pursuits for modern manufacturing industry. This paper investigated the ablation efficiency and quality of ultrashort pulsed laser ablation of DD6 single crystal alloy based on experiments and theoretical analysis. The experimental results showed that the ablation rate increases with the increase of laser fluence and with the decrease of scanning speed and scanning width, while the ablation efficiency decreases with the increase of laser fluence. A relatively flat and low melted zone ablation surface could be obtained by employing a low laser fluence and high scanning speed. The influence of laser parameters on the ablation diameter, equivalent energy density, and heat accumulation effect was analyzed based on the theory of laser ablation and heat conduction. The theoretical analysis revealed the material removal transforms from plasma or vaporization removal to melt ejection with the pulse energy increases and the scanning speed decreases, which can explain the formation mechanism of surface morphology very well. In addition, the scanning strategy of high efficiency and quality was proposed based on the theoretical analysis and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To avoid excessive tissue removal and collateral damage, the high‐power density laser is apt for dental surgery also need to have high precision. For high‐precision dental surgery with minimal tissue damage, the present work frames a method to predict laser ablation profile based on surface morphology and chemical composition of dentin. The surface morphology and chemical composition were studied on different dentin samples using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X‐ray Analysis (EDAX), respectively. The key laser ablation parameters (ω0, Deff, and Fth) were determined by laser irradiation study using 800 nm, Ti:Sapphire femtosecond laser at processing condition of 100 fs, 10 kHz and 10 mm/s. The dentin samples show a strong linear correlation between physiochemical characteristics and laser ablation parameters. The surface morphology exhibits a negative linear correlation with threshold fluence, whereas the converse is true for chemical composition. The laser ablation parameters of a random dentin sample are derived from the knowledge of linearity data. From the obtained laser ablation parameters, the complete theoretical ablation profile is constructed and validated with experimental ablation profile. Even though the surface morphology of dentin shows high linearity, the concentration of Ca and P can be used as the most feasible probe in clinical settings. Furthermore, the laser ablation rate and ablation efficiency are predicted by the method to optimize the laser processing condition for any specific teeth. The versatility of the method overcomes the problem of heterogeneity on various teeth and simplifies the method of finding optimal laser processing condition for immaculate laser surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the effect of different transversal beam shapes on the efficiency of ablation processes and the resulting surface characteristics. A possibility to efficiently apply ultrashort pulsed lasers with high average power is beam shaping. By using a cooled reflective based liquid crystal spatial light modulator to generate different spot distributions, it is possible to spatially allocate the available power to avoid excessive high fluences. In our experiments, we determine the optimal fluence to ablate the maximum volume per watt to be in the range of 0.2-0.4 J/cm². Based on this fluence, we increase the number of spots from one to a maximum of twenty to ablate steel in a multilayer scanning-based process. In this context, we examine the influence of different separation distances between the spots on the ablation efficiency and roughness. Subsequently to these investigations, we develop an efficient roughing process with higher ablation rates and a nearly constant roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of laser ablation micro-propulsion, the property of double-layer tape has significant impact on the propulsion performance. In this paper, low temperature plasma was used to treat the surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to improve its adhesion with energetic polymer. The PET surface pre- and post-plasma treatment was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the enhancement mechanism of the interface adhesion was discussed. In addition, the ablation performance of the double-layer tape after the plasma treatment was studied. The results showed that the plasma etching effect increased the root mean square roughness of the PET surface from 1.74 nm to 19.10 nm. In addition, after the plasma treatment, the number of C–OH/COOH bonds and O=C–O bonds increased, which also greatly improved the adhesion between the PET and energetic polymers. In the optimization of the ablation performance, the optimal laser pulse width was about 200 μs. The optimal values of the specific impulse (Isp), impulse coupling coefficient (Cm), and ablation efficiency (η) were 390.65 s, 250.82 μN/W, and 48.01%, respectively. The optimization of the adhesion of the double-layer tape and the ablation performance lay the foundation for the engineering application of laser ablation micro-thrusters.

GHz-bursts were reported to be highly efficient for ultra-short pulse laser ablation compared to single pulses. However, most comparisons were made for a drilling process or the machining of dimples. We investigated GHz-bursts (5.4 GHz) on copper, brass, stainless steel, silicon, zirconium oxide, soda-lime glass and sapphire for surface structuring applications. Inconsistent with the published results neither a higher removal rate, nor an improvement in the machining quality in case of the metals and silicon was observed, in the contrary, a tremendous drop in the specific removal rate of 90% for the metals and 60% for silicon, compared to single pulses, was measured when a 25 pulse burst (maximum of laser system) was applied. The situation differs for zirconium oxide, where only a moderate influence was observed and for soda-lime glass and sapphire where the specific removal rate increased by a factor of 2.3 and 6, when the number of pulses per burst were raised from 1 to 25. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot-dipped galvanized steel is processed with short- and ultrashort-pulsed lasers in air at near-infrared wavelengths with pulse durations ranging from 350 fs to 241 ns. The morphology of the ablated craters (processed over a range of laser fluence levels and a number of laser pulses) is analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The ablation threshold of galvanized steel is found to increase with laser pulse durations following a simple power F t h = A. τ B law. Longer pulse durations in the nanosecond regime, as compared to pulse durations in the picosecond and femtosecond regime, result in higher ablation efficiency and energy penetration depth at the cost of surface quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectiveThe wavelength and tissue-composition dependence of cartilage ablation was examined using selected mid-infrared laser wavelengths.Study design/materials and methodsThe mass removal produced by pulsed laser ablation of articular and fibro-cartilage (meniscus) were measured. The wavelengths examined were 2.79, 2.9, 6.1, and 6.45 microm and provided by a free electron laser (FEL) emitting 4 microsecond macropulses consisting of 1-2 picoseconds duration micropulses delivered at 350 picosecond intervals. The measurement of tissue mass removal was conducted using a microbalance during laser ablation.ResultsThese studies demonstrated that for articular cartilage the highest mass removal was achieved at lambda = 6.1 microm followed by, in order, lambda = 2.79, 2.9, and 6.45 microm. In comparison, the maximum mass removal for fibro-cartilage was achieved using lambda = 6.1 microm radiation with no statistically significant differences in mass removal provided by the other wavelengths. In evaluation of the comparative influence of each wavelength on tissue type, there was no difference in ablation efficiency between articular and fibro-cartilage at lambda = 6.1 microm. However, the ablation efficiency of articular cartilage was higher than that of fibro-cartilage at both lambda = 2.79 and 2.9 microm. By contrast, lambda = 6.45 microm radiation ablated fibro-cartilage more efficiently than articular cartilage at radiant exposures greater than 12 J/cm2.ConclusionsThe mass removal of articular and fibro-cartilage produced by FEL ablation at selected mid-IR wavelengths was measured as a function of incident radiant exposure. The ablation efficiency was found to depend on both wavelength and tissue type. The 6.1 microm wavelength was found to provide the highest ablation efficiency for both articular and fibro-cartilage.

Background and objectiveThe wavelength and tissue-composition dependence of cartilage ablation was examined using selected mid-infrared laser wavelengths.Study design/materials and methodsThe mass removal produced by pulsed laser ablation of articular and fibro-cartilage (meniscus) were measured. The wavelengths examined were 2.79, 2.9, 6.1, and 6.45 microm and provided by a free electron laser (FEL) emitting 4 microsecond macropulses consisting of 1-2 picoseconds duration micropulses delivered at 350 picosecond intervals. The measurement of tissue mass removal was conducted using a microbalance during laser ablation.ResultsThese studies demonstrated that for articular cartilage the highest mass removal was achieved at lambda = 6.1 microm followed by, in order, lambda = 2.79, 2.9, and 6.45 microm. In comparison, the maximum mass removal for fibro-cartilage was achieved using lambda = 6.1 microm radiation with no statistically significant differences in mass removal provided by the other wavelengths. In evaluation of the comparative influence of each wavelength on tissue type, there was no difference in ablation efficiency between articular and fibro-cartilage at lambda = 6.1 microm. However, the ablation efficiency of articular cartilage was higher than that of fibro-cartilage at both lambda = 2.79 and 2.9 microm. By contrast, lambda = 6.45 microm radiation ablated fibro-cartilage more efficiently than articular cartilage at radiant exposures greater than 12 J/cm2.ConclusionsThe mass removal of articular and fibro-cartilage produced by FEL ablation at selected mid-IR wavelengths was measured as a function of incident radiant exposure. The ablation efficiency was found to depend on both wavelength and tissue type. The 6.1 microm wavelength was found to provide the highest ablation efficiency for both articular and fibro-cartilage.

Abstract Laser operation in bursts of pulses has recently attracted a lot of attention, as high average powers and pulse energies have become available. Bursts of pulses have become a mean to achieve different laser-matter interaction regimes with a single laser source. We have used an ultra-short pulse laser source in combination with an external array of birefringent crystals to generate near-THz bursts of single-picosecond pulses. Variability of the setup and high single pulse energy were exploited to generate bursts of up to 16 pulses at different delays between consecutive pulses. The experimental setup was applied for surface processing of different industrially relevant materials, including metals, ceramics, and polyimides. The goal of this study was to find out if the reduced ablation thresholds using near-THz bursts of pulses as reported in previous studies of other group could be utilized for increased ablation efficiency. Our findings show that near-THz bursts of pulses interact with materials in a similar fashion as a single, albeit longer, pulse would. We observed a clear trend on all the tested materials, showing a declining ablation efficiency with increasing total burst duration at a fixed pulse repetition frequency. Findings contradict the results of other groups concluding on an improved efficiency of laser to material energy transfer using bursts at near-THz intra-burst repetition rates. A simple model describing ablation efficiency decline with pulse prolongation was used to compare the experimental data with theoretical predictions. Detailed analysis of surface ablation effects on metallic materials also revealed a presence of melting processes typically associated with laser pulses above 10 ps in duration as opposed to original 1.5 ps pulses. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Generation of near-THz bursts of laser pulses • Insight to the surface ablation mechanism at various burst durations • Near-THz bursts behave similarly to single prolonged pulses • Lower ablation efficiency and more heat-related effects using bursts [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To predict the laser ablation profile on dental hard tissue which will enable the user to optimize laser parameters so as to carry out the laser treatment with minimal tissue damage. The present study constructs a mathematical model to predict the ablation profile based on Gaussian beam distribution of laser intensity and correlates the model with experimentally obtained ablation parameters (effective Gaussian beam radius, ablation threshold fluence, and effective energy penetration depth). To obtain the ablation parameters, laser ablation experiments were carried out on dental hard tissues using Ti:Sapphire femtosecond laser (800 nm, 100 fs, 10 kHz). The method is further extended to predict the ablation rate and efficiency as well. The profile predicted from the mathematical model is compared with that of experimental results. It is found that the predicted ablation profile agrees well with the experimental profile for both enamel and dentin except a slight deviation at higher fluence for dentin. The calculated ablation rate is comparable to that of experimental results whereas for ablation efficiency appreciable deviation is observed in the case of dentin. The model succinctly predicts the ablation profile, ablation rate, and ablation efficiency which will enable to perform dental surgery at optimized laser processing conditions with high precision thus reducing the tissue damage appreciably. Once the details of lesion are known through proper diagnostic tools, the method enables the user to readily obtain optimum laser parameters. It can be used as a handy reference for dentists to perform damage-free surgery, ensuring quicker healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Femtosecond laser is an effective and safe tool in many surgeries, but the studies of its effect on oral soft tissue ablation are insufficient. This study aimed to investigate the effect of soft tissue ablation with a 1030-nm femtosecond laser on temperature and depth. Twenty Sprague-Dawley rat tongue specimens were obtained and flat-mounted. The 1030-nm femtosecond laser was controlled by a computer system, with a set distance of 4.7 mm between the laser aperture and soft tissue surfaces. Ten specimens were ablated for > 1 min with or without air-cooling for temperature measurement, while the other 10 specimens were ablated for depth measurements, using the following parameters: (i) 3 W, 2000 mm/s; (ii) 3 W, 4000 mm/s; (iii) 5 W, 2000 mm/s; (iv) 5 W, 4000 mm/s; (v) 8 W, 2000 mm/s; (vi) 8 W, 4000 mm/s. Temperature changes were measured using a type-K thermocouple. The depth attained using different power and scanning speed settings was measured by a three-dimensional morphology measurement laser microscope. Laser power, scanning speed, and air-cooling effects were determined. Higher energy and lower speed induced higher temperatures (p < 0.05), which were significantly decreased by air-cooling (p < 0.05). The lowest ablation depth was obtained at 3 W and 4000 mm/s (72.63 ± 6.47 μm) (p < 0.05). The greatest incision depth was achieved at 8 W and 2000 mm/s (696.19 ± 35.37 μm), or 4000 mm/s (681.16 ± 55.65 μm) (p < 0.05). The 1030-nm femtosecond laser application demonstrates clinically acceptable ablation efficiency, without marked temperature damage, in a controlled manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ultra-short pulsed laser systems provide high accuracy and high-quality materials processing for various kinds of applications. However, one of the highest industrial needs is to identify most efficient processes to achieve high throughput. In terms of ultra-short pulsed laser processing of metals, the specific removal rate (ablated volume per time and average power) shows a maximum value i.e. there exists an optimum fluence where the ablation process is most efficient. In this study the influence of spot size and shape (Gaussian and Top Hat) on the ablation efficiency on AISI 304 (1.4301) steel grade was examined using 10 ps and 350 fs laser pulses at wavelengths of 1064 nm and 1030 nm. The investigation revealed a significant drop of the specific removal rate with increasing Gaussian spot size for both pulse duration. While this behaviour is less pronounced for a Top Hat, showing just 8% decrease of specific removal rate for spot sizes bigger than 40 µm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In recent years, it has been shown that ultra-short pulsed lasers can be used for the post processing and the fabrication of cutting tools. This new manufacturing technology can compete with the mainly used grinding process due to its ability to ablate materials independent of their hardness and without any wear. The knowledge of material properties is necessary for an optimal choice of machining parameters and the prediction of the ablation process. Measuring them is challenging, especially for inhomogeneous, ultra-hard materials. In this paper, an industry-relevant method is presented, which enables to determine the threshold fluence and the optical properties of cemented carbide. The required material-specific parameters are derived from simple ablation experiments, which are carried out on a modern laser machining center. Finally, the results are used to present a formula to calculate the material removal rate at different angles of incidence of the laser beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser ablation using ultrashort pulses is becoming more relevant in the fabrication of solar cells due to their ability to produce well-defined grooves. In this work, laser grooving of dielectric layers using laser pulses of 480 femtosecond and 515 nm (green) wavelength at various pulse fluences and pulse overlaps is presented. The dielectric is either a single-layer film (SiNX) or a double-layer stack (AlOX/SiNX or SiO2/SiNX). An analytical model that enables one to determine the laser groove depth and width by calculating the equivalent fluence along the midpoint of the groove and by extracting the single-pulse ablation properties (threshold fluence, spot radius, and energy penetration depth) of the dielectrics is presented. The modeled groove dimensions match with the experimentally measured values, thereby allowing precise patterning of the dielectrics. Micromachining considerations such as the ablation rate and ablation efficiency are calculated from the modeled groove depth which enables one to optimize the ablation process. The optimum fluence zone, where the process yields >90% of its maximum ablation rate and efficiency, is identified to be just above the threshold fluence. Moreover, the results indicate that the optimum fluence zone remains practically unaffected irrespective of the chosen laser average power. Hence, the precise calculation of groove dimensions and processing under the optimum fluence zone provides a well-defined and efficient laser grooving process that is essential for high-efficiency solar cell architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In this study, the in vitro lesion areas under different pulse repetition frequencies (PRFs), duty ratios, and frequency differences were compared, cavitation activity was also monitored during HIFU exposure. • The results showed that different pulse parameters caused different types of lesions. In HIFU therapy, those pulse parameters that maximize the thermal effect, reduce heat dissipation and generate sufficient cavitation activities should be considered. • But the method of evaluating or predicting the damage by using the cavitation dose is only applicable to mechanical damage. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has now been widely used to ablate various benign and malignant tumors. But it is still critical to increase the ablation efficiency in many clinical applications. Dual-frequency HIFU has been proven to be more efficient in ablation, but the principle on selecting the pulse parameters in this method remains to be explored. In this study, the in vitro lesion areas under different pulse repetition frequencies (PRFs), duty ratios, and frequency differences were compared, cavitation activity was also monitored during HIFU exposure. The results showed that different pulse parameters caused different types of lesions. In HIFU therapy, those pulse parameters that maximize the thermal effect, reduce heat dissipation and generate sufficient cavitation activities should be considered. But the method of evaluating or predicting the damage by using the cavitation dose is only applicable to mechanical damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nail plate forms a barrier that limits the effectiveness of drug delivery in the treatment of nail diseases and prevents the outflow of fluid in the case of subungual hematoma formation. Microperforation of the nail plate through laser radiation can increase the effectiveness of drug delivery and ensure the possibility of blood outflow. This study detected and identified the type and threshold of effects that arise from exposing the nail plate to Yb,Er: Glass ( λ = 1.54 μm) and Er:YLF ( λ = 2.81 μm) laser radiation. The rate and efficiency of nail plate ablation by the radiation of these lasers were studied. The effect of the storage time of a freshly extracted nail plate in open air on its ablation rate by Er:YLF ( λ = 2.81 μm) laser radiation was also investigated. The impact of the Yb,Er:Glass and Er:YLF laser pulses on the nail plate caused bleaching, carbonization, ablation with microcrater formation, and microperforation. The laser energy densities W (thresholds) required for these effects were determined. The maximum ablation rate for Yb,Er:Glass laser radiation was 8 μm/pulse at W = 91±2 J/cm, whereas that for Er:YLF laser radiation was 12 μm/pulse at W = 10.5±0.5 J/cm. The maximum ablation efficiency for Yb,Er:Glass laser radiation was 0.1 μm/mJ at W = 10.5±0.5 J/cm, whereas that for Er:YLF laser radiation was 4.6 μm/mJ at W = 5.3±0.3 J/cm. The laser ablation rate depends on the storage time and conditions of the freshly extracted nail plate. For example, when exposed to Er:YLF laser radiation, the laser ablation rate decreased by half from the initial maximum value in 96 h of air storage and returned to the initial value after 1 h of storage in distilled water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effects of pulse repetition rate on ablation efficiency and quality of Cr12MoV cold work mold steel have been studied using a picosecond (ps) pulse Nd:YVO 4 laser system at λ= 1064 nm. The experimental results of area ablation on target surface reveal that laser repetition rate plays a significant role in controlling ablation efficiency and quality. Increasing the laser repetition rate, while keeping a constant mean power improves the ablation efficiency and quality. For each laser mean power, there is an optimal repetition rate to achieve a higher laser ablation efficiency with low surface roughness. A high ablation efficiency of 42.29, 44.11 and 47.52 μm 3 /mJ, with surface roughness of 0.476, 0.463 and 0.706 μm could be achieved at laser repetition rate of 10 MHz, for laser mean power of 15, 17 and 19 W, respectively. Scanning electron microcopy images revels that the surface morphology evolves from rough with numerous craters, to flat without pores when we increased the laser repetition rate. The effects of laser repetition rate on the heat accumulation, plasma shield and ablation threshold were analyzed by numerical simulation, spectral analysis and multi-laser shot, respectively. The synergetic effects of laser repetition rate on laser ablation rate and machining quality were analyzed and discussed systemically in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:The objective of this study is to assess the association between texture parameter analysis derived from T2-weighted images and efficiency of magnetic resonance-guided focussed ultrasound (MRgFUS) ablation for the treatment of uterine fibroids. Materials and methods:Fifty-five women treated by MRgFUS were included in this retrospective analysis. Texture parameters were calculated using three 2D regions of interest placed on three consecutive slices on the same sagittal 3D T2-weighted images obtained at the beginning of MRgFUS ablation. Using uni- and multi-variate linear regression, texture parameters, fibroids/muscular T2W ratio (T2Wr), Funaki type, and fibroid depth were correlated with ablation efficiency, defined as the ratio of non-perfused volume (NPV) on post-treatment contrast-enhanced MRI by total volume of treatment-cell sizes used. Inter-rater reproducibility for texture analysis was assessed using variation coefficients. Results:The mean total treatment cell volume was 49.5 (±30) ml, corresponding to a mean NPV of 57.2 (±57) ml (28%). The mean ablation efficiency was 1.14 (±0.7), with a range of 0.03–3.6. In addition to fibroid/muscular T2Wr, seven of the 14 texture parameters were significantly correlated with ablation efficiency: mean signal intensity (p = .047); Skewness (p = .03); Kurtosis (p = .015); mean uniformity (p = .052); mean sum of square (p = .045); mean sum entropy (p = .021) and mean entropy (p = .051). In multivariate linear regression, fibroid/muscular T2Wr and sum of entropy were associated with ablation efficiency. The inter-rater coefficient of variation for sum entropy was 2.6%. Conclusions:Uterine fibroid texture parameters provide complementary information to T2Wr, and are associated with MRgFUS efficiency.Key pointsMean sum entropy is negatively correlated with MRgFUS efficiency (ρ = −0.307, p = .021).Fibroids/muscular T2-weighted ratio and entropy are associated with MRgFUS efficiency.Texture parameters are better predictors of MRgFUS efficiency than Funaki type.Fibroid MR texture analysis can improve patient selection for MRgFUS. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Femtosecond laser (fs-laser) is a novel tooth preparation tool but its ablation efficiency is insufficient. The purpose is to establish a new fs-laser tooth ablation method based on a dual-wedges path ablation system, and explore the efficiency of tooth hard tissue and dental restorative materials ablation. Materials and methods: Extracted third molars, pure titanium, cobalt-chromium alloy, gold alloy, and 3Y-zirconia were prepared into samples. These samples were rotary ablated by an fs-laser with dual-wedges. The wavelength was 1030 nm and the pulse duration was 250 fsec. Laser parameters were set as a repetition frequency of 25 kHz, the power percentages as 50% for dental tissues, and 60% for restorative materials. The optical wedge angle was set as 0°, 20°, 40°, 60°, and 80° for restorative materials, 0°, 20°, 30°, 40°, and 60° for enamel, and 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, and 40°for dentin. Three times of ablation was processed at each parameter to obtain total 90 ablation microcavities of 6 kinds of materials. The diameter, depth, and volume of microcavities were measured by confocal laser microscopy and plotted against optical-wedge-angle in curves of different materials. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test whether the ablation efficiency between different angles was statistically significant. Results: The ablation efficiency of each material at different optical-wedge-angle was statistically significant ( p  < 0.05) and tends to be correlated. For dental hard tissue, the enamel ablation efficiency was 208.1 times and dentin ablation efficiency were 65.2 times than before when the wedge angle was 40°. For pure titanium, zirconia, cobalt-chromium, and gold alloys, the ablation efficiencies were 3.1, 10.7, 81.5, and 128.8 times than before when the rotation angle was 80°. Conclusions: The ablation efficiency of dental hard tissues and restorative materials was significantly increased with the increase of laser oblique incidence angle. Clinical Trial Registration number: PKUSSIRB-201949124.

[Display omitted] • Ultrafast laser burst ablation is studied by an improved two-temperature model. • Effects of key factors in burst ablation on the ablation efficiency are analyzed. • Gigahertz ultrafast laser bursts improve the optimum ablation efficiency by 150%. • The burst fluence and duration determine the heat-affected zone thickness. • A theoretical model is proposed to predict the optimum burst ablation condition. Ultrafast laser burst ablation (ULBA) with high repetition rates up to GHz has emerged as a promising method for improving ablation efficiency and reducing heat-affected zone (HAZ). However, the effects of different laser parameters are not well understood. This article presents a numerical study by an improved two-temperature model on the influences of repetition rate, pulse number and burst fluence on ablation efficiency and HAZ in ULBA of copper. Due to thermal accumulation, increasing the repetition rate enhances the maximum ablation efficiency, by over 150% at 3456 MHz. Interestingly, large pulse numbers also assist this effect by extending the period of thermal accumulation. However, if the burst fluence is too low, increased pulse numbers will reduce the ablation efficiency due to insufficient pulse fluences. Burst duration and fluence are determined to have the greatest impact on HAZ thickness. To minimize HAZ, the burst duration needs to be short, by raising repetition rates or reducing pulse numbers, to decrease the thermal diffusion time. The dependences of ablation optimum and threshold fluences on pulse numbers and repetition rates are analyzed and summarized in simple formulae. This study unveils the impacts of laser parameters in ULBA and provides guidelines for ablation efficiency and HAZ optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ablation efficiency of 1940-nm thulium fiber laser on liver tissue, while utilizing a real-time measurement system to monitor the temperature rise in adjacent tissues. Thulium fiber laser was delivered to lamb liver tissue samples via 400-µm bare tip fiber in contact mode. Eight different laser parameter combinations [power, continuous-wave ðcwÞ/pulsed-modulated (pm) mode, and exposure time] were used. Exposure times were chosen to give the same total applied energy of 4 J for comparative purposes. Following laser irradiations, tissues were processed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for macroscopic evaluation of ablation areas and total altered areas, and ablation efficiencies were calculated. Temperature of the nearby tissue at a distance of 1 mm from the fiber was measured, and rate of temperature change was calculated. A strong correlation between the rate of temperature change and ablation area was noted. Thermal effects increased with increasing power for both modes. The continuous-wave mode yielded higher ablation efficiencies than the pulse-modulated mode. Histological evaluation revealed a narrow vacuolization zone and negligible carbonization for higher-power values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]