Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Infrared Skin Damage Thresholds From 1940-Nm Continuous-Wave Laser Exposures, Jeffrey W. Oliver, David J. Stolarski, Gary D. Noojin, Harvey M. Hodnett, Corey A. Harbert, Kurt J. Schuster, Michaedl F. Foltz, Semih S. Kumru, Clarence P. Cain, C. J. Finkeldei, Gavin Buffington, Isaac D. Noojin, Robert J. Thomas

Physics Faculty Publications

A series of experiments are conducted in vivo using Yucatan mini-pigs (Sus scrofa domestica) to determine thermal damage thresholds to the skin from 1940-nm continuous-wave thulium fiber laser irradiation. Experiments employ exposure durations from 10 ms to 10 s and beam diameters of approximately 4.8 to 18 mm. Thermal imagery data provide a time-dependent surface temperature response from the laser. A damage endpoint of minimally visible effect is employed to determine threshold for damage at 1 and 24 h postexposure. Predicted thermal response and damage thresholds are compared with a numerical model of optical-thermal interaction. Results are compared …