Calculation of crater shape in pulsed laser ablation of hard tissues.
OBJECTIVE
An expression describing the ablation crater shape as a function of lateral fluence distribution has been derived in a recent paper by Ostertag et al. [Lasers Surg Med 1997; 21:384-394].


METHODS
The ablation model presented therein is improved by taking into account the influence of the ablation front inclination on the ablation dynamics.


RESULTS
The resulting crater profiles deviate from the previously predicted ones (which reflect the Gaussian fluence distribution of the impinging laser beam) progressively with increasing pulse fluence.


CONCLUSIONS
The ablation front inclination must be taken into account to predict the ablation crater shapes and volumes correctly.
Jozef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia. boris.majaron@ijs.si
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Majaron
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Lukac
D000042:Absorption; D046508:Culture Techniques; D003804:Dentin / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D007834:Lasers; D008954:Models, Biological; D016011:Normal Distribution