Premium
Degradation‐induced transmission losses in silica optical fibers
Author(s) -
Grant Shella A.,
Soufiane Abdelouahed,
Shirk Gerald,
Martin Steve W.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
lasers in surgery and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1096-9101
pISSN - 0196-8092
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9101(1997)21:1<65::aid-lsm10>3.0.co;2-8
Subject(s) - materials science , optical fiber , laser , lasing threshold , degradation (telecommunications) , spall , fiber , optics , fiber laser , composite material , optoelectronics , electronic engineering , wavelength , physics , engineering
Background and Objective The interaction of surgical optical fibers with tissue has been studied. Study Design/Methods and Materials: Fibers (600 μm) were lased in chicken and beef tissue using a Nd:YAG laser from 5 to 50 W in both cw and pulsed modes. Results With longer lasing and higher power, larger transmission loss and degradation (burn‐in) of the fiber tip, occurred. This degradation converts the Nd:YAG laser power to heat and leads to further energy loss. During contact lasing, tissue and blood adhere to the fiber tip surface limiting laser transmission, desiccating, and eventually destroying adhering tissues. Such tissue residues create high power densities and temperatures at the tip, which then cause a variety of degradation processes to be initiated. Conclusion “Burned‐in” fibers do not photocoagulate; rather they incise tissue. With continued lasing, thermal shock, chemical, and mechanical breakdown of the fiber leads to failure of the fiber tip and the spalling of glass fragments into the tissue bed. Lasers Surg. Med. 21:65–71, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.