Medical Lasers

diode (broad range))

Au (577nm)

Nd:YAG + KTP (532nm)

Ar (488 + 514nm)
+

XeCl (308nm)
ArF (193nm)

Kr (647nm)
Alexandrite (720-790nm)
GaAs (780-830nm)
Nd:YAG (1.064 mm)

CO2 (10.6 mm)

Ho:YAG (2.1mm)
Er:YAG (2.94 mm)

Dye

UV

IR

0.1

1.0
visible

10

wavelenght (mm)

Optical Properties of Tissue

Absorption by cornea must be very strong (avoid penetration to retina & require less overall
energy to have same effect). For example: 193 nm ArF excimer laser (10 ns pulses),

Scattering and Absorption

Chicken breast (left) and liver (right)

illuminated by red (top image) and
green (bottom image) laser light via
a fiber. Note the effect of the color of
the light and the higher blood
content in the liver on the light
distribution.

Important parameters
Power (energy/time)
Intensity (power/area)

In order to make the fraction large..

large value for numerator or very small denominator

Tissue effect dominated by energy density or

power density
Absorption coefficient

Relevance of Laser Properties:

Collimation (Intensity)
Monochromatic, low-divergence, highpower/intensity, coherent

Light source

Power

Intensity

Sun
100 Watt bulb
Helium-Neon-Laser
CO2 Laser
Pulsed Laser

1026
3
1
60
1

5
0.1
400
50
1000

Watt
Watt
mWatt
Watt
GWatt

W/mm2
mW/mm2
W/mm2
kW/mm2
GW/mm2

 Excimer (UV)
laser ablatie

Laser vision correction corneal ablation

LASIK

Ablation Physics
UV ablation
193 nm
120 mJ/cm2
7 mm diameter