Diode-Pumped, Mid-Infrared Surgical Laser

We propose to begin development of a new class of surgical lasers made possible by recent advances in high power, semiconductor-laser technology. Multi-Watt level, diode-pumped, mid-infrared solid state lasers will eventually replaced lamp-pumped systems for many surgical applications. The compact nature of these lasers will allow multiple wavelength modules to be incorporated into a single fiber-deliverable surgical system, thereby giving the surgeon the ability to choose the wavelength (or combination of wavelengths) most appropriate for a particular procedure.In our Phase I effort, we will build a 1-W, diode-pumped, cw erbium laser emitting near 3 microns and deliver it to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). At MGH, the cutting rate and thermal damage zone produced by the laser in both hard and soft tissue will be measured.