Depth controlled photoablation of human or animal tissue

A photoablation device for depth controlled photoablation cutting of human or animal tissue, the photoablation device comprising:

• a laser source being arranged to propagate a focused laser beam with a beam waist, wherein a radius of the laser beam increases from the beam waist in a direction of propagation of the laser beam;
• an adjusting structure being arranged to adjust an intensity of the laser beam, wherein the intensity is energy per time per area;
• a position detector to detect a position of the laser source in relation to the tissue;
• a positioning device being arranged to move the laser source in relation to the tissue;
• and
• a controller unit being arranged to:
• define a photoablation zone of the laser beam, wherein the photoablation zone ends in a cutting face which is located offset from the beam waist in the direction of propagation of the laser beam;
• position the laser source using the positioning device so that the cutting face of the photoablation zone is at a top surface of the tissue, wherein the intensity of the laser beam is below a photoablation threshold to cut the tissue by the cutting face;
• adjust the intensity of the laser beam at the cutting face of the photoablation zone using the adjusting structure so that the intensity as adjusted exceeds the photoablation threshold to cut the top surface of the tissue;
• and
• control a depth of photoablation cutting by the cutting face through the top surface into the tissue by moving the laser source toward the tissue using the positioning device, wherein the position of the laser source detected by the position detector is evaluated.