Project Summary
Recently, a new technique for soft tissue ablation and high-precision surgery with minimal collateral cell damage has been reported. Groundbreaking results with high potential impacts, especially for neurosurgery, have been achieved by using mid-infrared (IR) radiation at selected wavelengths (6.1 and 6.45 µm) where both water and the extra-cellular protein matrix of the tissue absorb radiation. Until now, Free-electron lasers (FEL) are the only laser source for this type of advanced surgery and other medical applications because of their unique pulse characteristics, high average power and broad tunability across the IR spectral region. FELs are multimillion dollar, radiation-shielded facilities whose operations require large buildings and sophisticated staff. Consequently, FELs are not medical facilities accessible to the general public. The aim of the project is to build a high-power, high-repetition laser oscillator that emits short pulses at a wavelength of 1 µm. In subsequent cascade down-conversion processes (using nonlinear parametric processes) we will generate tunable pulses between 5.7 and 7 µm.