Photoablation by UV and visible laser radiation of native and doped biological tissue

Photoablation studies of biological material (human cornea) with UV and visible laser light show that effective, apparently non-conventional thermal photoablation can be achieved by introducing energy absorbing dopants in the tissue. Previously unknown high ablation rates of 80 Gmm/pulse have been observed. The results allow one to clearly postulate different ablation mechanisms for increasing laser fluence. The results are compared with the photoablation rates observed with 193 nm UV laser light on undoped human cornea. Explosive desorption has been found the dominant process involved.