Laser Ablating Device with Parallel Optical Axes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laser ablating devices face challenges in controlling cutting depth and minimizing collateral damage when cutting human or animal hard tissues, due to variations in tissue properties and the complexity of optical monitoring methods, which slow down the cutting process.
Innovation Solution
A laser ablating device with a cutting laser source, an imaging laser source, a beam mixing structure, and a movable scanner mirror, where the cutting and imaging laser beams are directed parallel to each other, allowing for real-time feedback and adjustment of the cutting laser beam to prevent collateral damage and ensure precise cutting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If optical monitoring (OCT) is used to monitor photoablation depth in real-time, then cutting precision is improved, but device complexity and operation speed are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the imaging laser beam and cutting laser beam into a single optical path using a beam mixing structure, allowing simultaneous OCT monitoring and laser cutting through the same optical pathway. This integration reduces device complexity while maintaining real-time depth monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses OCT imaging to provide real-time feedback on photoablation depth, allowing dynamic adjustment of cutting parameters. The reflected imaging laser beam carries depth information that is processed to control the cutting laser pulse timing and intensity, ensuring precise stopping at the desired depth.
2Productivity
If laser beam intensity is increased to improve cutting speed, then productivity is improved, but collateral damage to surrounding tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting laser operates in pulsed mode rather than continuous wave, delivering energy in discrete pulses with controlled duration (picosecond to nanosecond scale). This periodic action allows the tissue to cool between pulses, preventing excessive heat accumulation and collateral damage while maintaining efficient cutting through cumulative ablation effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts laser pulse parameters (intensity, duration, repetition rate) based on real-time OCT feedback regarding tissue depth and properties. This adaptive parameter control optimizes cutting speed while preventing collateral damage by reducing intensity near the target depth or when encountering varying tissue densities.
3Measurement precision
If multiple laser beams are used for both cutting and imaging, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a beam mixing structure that combines the imaging laser beam and cutting laser beam into a single optical pathway. This merging allows both functions to share the same delivery optics and scanning system, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining the precision benefits of separate optimized beams.
Solution Approach 2:
The single optical beam system serves dual functions: the imaging laser portion provides OCT depth measurement, while the cutting laser portion performs photoablation. The same optical components (lens, scanner, delivery fiber) handle both functions, making the system multi-functional and reducing the need for separate dedicated optical paths.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device enables efficient, fast, and precise cutting of hard tissues by reducing blurring effects and allowing for real-time evaluation and adaptation of the cutting process, minimizing collateral damage and optimizing cutting depth.
Implementation Method 1
a cutting laser source adapted to provide a pulsed cutting laser beam lasing at a wavelength suitable for ablating hard tissue
Implementation Method 2
an imaging laser source adapted to provide an imaging laser beam covering a broadband spectral region
Implementation Method 3
The beam mixing structure is adapted to redirect the cutting laser beam of the cutting laser source and/or the imaging laser beam of the imaging laser source such that an optical axis of the cutting laser beam is parallel to an optical axis of the imaging laser beam
Data Source
AI summary
A laser ablating device for cutting human or animal natural or artificial hard tissue includes: a cutting laser source adapted to provide a pulsed cutting laser beam lasing at a wavelength suitable for ablating the hard tissue; an imaging laser source adapted to provide an imaging laser beam covering a broadband spectral region; and a beam mixing structure and a movable scanner mirror positioned after the beam mixing structure. The beam mixing structure is adapted to redirect the cutting laser beam of the cutting laser source and/or the imaging laser beam of the imaging laser source such that an optical axis of the cutting laser beam is parallel to an optical axis of the imaging laser beam. The scanner mirror is arranged to direct the imaging laser beam and the cutting laser beam when having parallel optical axes.