Note that the ablation rate behaves as if driven by a 15-õm carbon layer at low power deposition rates and as if driven by a 50-õm carbon layer at higher rates.
The computer simulation was a finite-difference program which accounted for dynamic tissue optics, thermal diffusion, carbonization, and explosive vaporization.
References for data in figure:
| chicken, Nd:YAG laser | S.L. Jacques, J. Schwartz, G. Gofstein, T. Vangsness: In vitro study of pulsed Ho:YAG laser meniscectomy. SPIE Vol. 2128, 1994. |
| stained gel, diode laser | S. Rastegar, M.J. van Gemert, A.J. Welch: Technique for measurement of one-dimensional instantaneous ablation velocity. Lasers Surg. Med. 8:533-5, 1988. |
| stained sclera, diode laser | S.L. Jacques, R.J. Erckens, J.R. Pohl, M. Motamedi: Computer simulations of diode laser ablation of sclera stained with indocyanine green. Lasers Surg Med, Suppl. 5, abstract 161, 1993. |
| chicken, Nd:YAG laser | S.L. Jacques: The role of tissue optics and pulse duration during high-power laser irradiation. Applied Optics 32:2447-2454, 1993. |
| stained vertebra, diode laser | M. Motamedi (personal communication) |