Abstract

Erbium lasers with wavelengths around 3 μm can be widely used in medical applications due to water absorption maximum at 3 μm. Also collagen, the main part of organic bone materials, has a higher absorption in this wavelength range than at the 10.6 μm wavelength of CO₂ laser, almost by a factor of 4 [1], This allows cleaner cuts with smaller destruction of adjacent tissues. But a higher power with good beam quality of laser radiation in this wavelength range is also very important to reach good surgically results.

© 1997 Optical Society of America