MATERIAL REMOVAL BY LASER ABLATION

摘要

A method and apparatus for the ablation of a contaminated surface is described. The method comprises the steps of providing ablation chamber means adjacent the surface to be ablated, the ablation chamber means having a laser beam access aperture therein to allow a laser beam to pass through the chamber means and strike the contaminated surface to ablate said surface, passing a continuous gas stream through said chamber means to carry the ablated material to collection means and providing means to prevent said ablated material escaping from said ablation chamber means into the surrounding atmosphere.