New publication in Biomedical Optics Express
In this research article entitled “X-ray generation by fs-laser processing of biological material”, Andrea Trabattoni and collaborators form the Leibniz Universität Hannover investigated the generation of X-ray radiation during the ablation process of a large range of materials by ultrashort infrared laser pulses.
Figure: The X-ray spectrum of ablating bone is shown in logarithmic scale for different laser intensities between 12.5 μJ and 65 μJ. The characteristic lines through the elements phosphorus (P, Kα = 2.01 keV) and calcium (Ca, Kα = 3.69 keV) are visible. The inset shows the linearly scaled spectrum.
The use of ultrashort pulse lasers in medical treatments is increasing and is already an essential tool, particularly in the treatment of eyes, bones and skin. One of the main advantages of laser treatment is that it is fast and minimally invasive. Due to the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with matter, X-rays can be generated during the laser ablation process. This is important not only for the safety of the patient, but also for the practitioner to ensure that the legally permissible dose is not exceeded. In order to provide guidance to laser users in the medical field, this paper examines the X-ray emission spectra and dose of several biological materials and describes their dependence on the laser pulse energy.
The full publication can be found here.