Mechanism study of porcine skin ablation by nanosecond laser pulses at 1064, 532, 266, and 213 nm

The ablation mechanism of fresh porcine skin has been studied using nanosecond laser pulses at the wavelengths of 1064, 532, 266, and 213 nm. We have identified the Na spectral line at 589 nm in the secondary radiation from the ablated skin sample as the signature of tissue ablation and measured the ablation probability near ablation threshold. Ablation depth per pulse has been measured by histological examination of ablated skin samples. Review of the ablation probability data through probit analysis indicated that the same mechanism is likely to be operative for tissue ablation at all four wavelengths. Various soft tissue ablation models are discussed, and it is concluded that the ablation of the skin by nanosecond laser pulses from 1064 to 213 nm is a result of electronic impact ionization which leads to the formation of a plasma.