Laser scanning method, laser irradiation device, and laser scanning program

A laser irradiation device comprising:

• an optical fiber that emits a pulsed laser beam from a distal end thereof in a liquid medium;
• a processor comprising a hardware, the processor controlling the laser beam emitted from the optical fiber;
• and
• a movement detector that detects movement of the optical fiber,
• wherein the processor is configured to emit the pulsed laser beam from the distal end during a first period, the pulsed laser beam being emitted for generating a bubble at the distal end, and
• wherein the processor is configured to stop emission of the pulsed laser beam from the distal end during a second period,
• wherein the first period is a period for moving the optical fiber closer toward an operation member disposed parallel to the optical fiber by utilizing contraction of the bubble that comes into contact with or close to the operation member, and
• wherein the second period is a period for moving the optical fiber away from the operation member,
• wherein the processor is configured to:
• change a frequency of the pulsed laser beam;
• detect movement of the optical fiber at each frequency based on information from the movement detector;
• determine a resonance frequency of the optical fiber based on the detected movement;
• and
• determine a timing for emitting the pulsed laser beam from the distal end based on the resonance frequency.

A storage medium storing a laser scanning program causing a laser irradiation device to execute:

• emitting a pulsed laser beam from a distal end of an optical fiber in a liquid medium during a first period, the pulsed laser beam being emitted for generating a bubble at the distal end;
• stopping emission of the pulsed laser beam from the distal end during a second period,
• wherein the first period is a period for moving the optical fiber closer toward an operation member disposed parallel to the optical fiber by utilizing contraction of the bubble that comes into contact with or close to the operation member, and
• wherein the second period is a period for moving the optical fiber away from the operation member,
• wherein the laser scanning program causes the laser irradiation device to execute:
• changing a frequency of the pulsed laser beam and detecting movement of the optical fiber at each frequency;
• determining a resonance frequency of the optical fiber based on the detected movement;
• and
• determining a timing for emitting the pulsed laser beam from the distal end based on the resonance frequency.