Picosecond Laser Device for Ophthalmic Tissue Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laser devices for human eye surgery, particularly those using femtosecond pulses, are complex, expensive, and susceptible to interference, making them unsuitable for precise and reproducible tissue separation in corneal or lenticular tissue due to their high complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A laser device configured to emit focused pulsed laser radiation with pulse lengths between 10 ps and 300 ps and wavelengths between 300 nm to 400 nm or 800 nm to 1100 nm, utilizing a set of parameter values including pulse energy, repetition rate, fluence, and focus diameter to achieve two-dimensionally extensive tissue separation by inducing optical breakdown, allowing for the generation of incisions with reduced complexity and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If femtosecond laser pulses are used for tissue separation, then precision and reproducibility of incision generation is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pulse duration parameter from femtosecond range to picosecond range (10-300 ps), and adjusts wavelength parameters (300-400 nm or 800-1100 nm) to achieve tissue separation with simpler, less expensive laser systems while maintaining surgical precision
2Manufacturing precision
If femtosecond laser pulses are used for tissue separation, then precision and reproducibility of incision generation is improved, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pulse duration parameter from femtosecond range to picosecond range (10-300 ps), and adjusts wavelength parameters (300-400 nm or 800-1100 nm) to achieve tissue separation with simpler, less expensive laser systems while maintaining surgical precision
3Device complexity
If longer pulse durations are used, then device complexity is reduced, but thermal damage to surrounding tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes pulse duration to picosecond range (10-300 ps) which is long enough to simplify laser system design but short enough to minimize thermal diffusion and collateral damage to surrounding tissue
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pulsed laser radiation with specific pulse durations and repetition rates to deliver energy in controlled intervals, allowing tissue separation while minimizing cumulative thermal effects on surrounding structures
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 use of picosecond laser pulses enables the creation of laser devices that are less complex and cheaper while achieving precision and reproducibility comparable to femtosecond systems, allowing for effective tissue separation with reduced collateral damage and thermal effects, thus addressing the limitations of existing femtosecond laser systems.
Implementation Method 1
each local site of damage including a laser induced optical breakdown of the tissue
Data Source
AI summary
A process for configuring a laser device (10) that has been set up for emitting focused pulsed laser radiation (14) and that is intended for use in laser-assisted treatments of the human eye (12) comprises the following steps: - selecting a pulse length within a range from 1 ps to 1 ns, preferentially within a range from above 10 ps to below 300 ps, - selecting a wavelength for the laser radiation within a range from 300 nm to 400 nm or within a range from 800 nm to 1100 nm, - ascertaining such a set of parameter values of the laser device that when the laser device is operated with these parameter values a two-dimensionally extensive separation of tissue of human corneal or lenticular tissue is achievable by means of the laser radiation by stringing together a plurality of local sites of damage, the set of parameter values including, in addition to the selected pulse length and the selected wavelength, values for at least one of the following parameters: a pulse energy, a pulse repetition rate, a fluence per radiation pulse, a number of pulses per site of damage, a scanning speed of a scanning apparatus (18) of the laser device, a focus diameter, - configuring the laser device in such a manner that operation of the laser device with the ascertained set of parameter values is made possible.