METHOD OF ENHANCED BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL REMOVAL USING SHORT PULSE LASERS

摘要

Apparatus for ablation of biological tissue includes first laser means (13) for generating a relatively longer pulse infrared laser beam (16), and second laser means (1, 5, 7, 8) for generating a relatively shorter pulse far ultraviolet or infrared laser beam (10). Further included are an optical configuration for directing the beams onto a region of biological tissue, and means (25) to control the respective laser beams to direct the shorter pulse beam (10) onto the biological tissue while the longer pulse beam (16) is incident on the tissue, whereby to ablate the tissue with the shorter pulse beam at an ablation rate enhanced by the application of the longer pulse beam. Also disclosed are related methods.