US 6,554,825 B1 · Variable pulse duration, adjustable wavelength medical laser system

Abstract

A medical laser system is disclosed for generating a pulsed output beam of variable pulse duration and wavelength. The on time of the laser is the pulse duration which is generated by a Q-switch operated in a repetitive mode as a train of micropulses. According to one embodiment, a repetitively Q-switched frequency-doubled solid state laser produces an input beam which is subsequently used to excite a dye laser. An excitation source of the solid state laser is modulated to control the pulse duration of the input beam. The dye laser receives the input beam and responsively generates an output beam of adjustable wavelength having a pulse duration corresponding to the pulse duration of the input beam. The wavelength of the output beam is controlled by adjusting a tuning element of the dye laser. The dye laser is coupleable to a delivery system for directing the output laser beam to a biological tissue target. By carefully controlling the pulse duration and wavelength of the beam delivered to the target tissue, a user of the laser system may avoid or minimize damage to tissue adjacent to the target tissue.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A variable pulse duration, adjustable wavelength medical laser system, comprising:

a solid-state laser for generating an input laser beam, including:
a solid-state laser medium;
an excitation source for pumping the laser medium, the excitation source being modulated to control pulse duration of the input laser beam;
and
a frequency doubler, disposed in a path of the input laser beam, for doubling the frequency of the input laser beam;
a dye laser, for receiving the frequency-doubled input laser beam and for responsively generating an output laser beam of adjustable wavelength, the output laser beam having a pulse duration corresponding to the pulse duration of the frequency-doubled input beam;
an output beam coupler, for optically coupling output beam to a delivery system configured to direct the output laser beam onto a biological tissue target;
and
a controller, coupled to the solid-state laser and the dye laser, including a user input device, adapted to adjust the pulse duration and the adjustable wavelength in response to user input specifying a pulse duration within a clinically relevant range of pulse durations and a wavelength within a clinically relevant range of wavelengths for a plurality of medical purposes.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Variable pulse duration, adjustable wavelength medical laser system

Life of this patent

Variable pulse duration, adjustable wavelength medical laser system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27