Abstract

Linear birefringence is a polarization property of materials that results in a phase shift betwen orthogonal polarizations. Birefringence has been used to monitor collagenous tissue structures as a function of thermally-induced denaturation.¹ Studies performed over long heating times have shown that both rat tail tendon (RTT) and cornea lose their birefringence as the heat applied causes a loss in the sample's structure.² We now report the birefringent response of RTT to rapid heating by 200-µs-long, 2.1-µm Ho: YAG laser pulses. The results indicate that dynamic measurement of linear birefringence can be used as an optical feedback parameter to control laser tissue heating.

© 1996 Optical Society of America