Laser microporator

A laser micro-porator (10) for porating a biological tissue (1), comprising:

• a) a solid state laser source (7) that is configured to emit a pulsed beam (4);
• b) optics (8a,8b,8x) configured to modify the pulsed beam such as to direct a first laser beam (4) of less than 1 mm width on the biological tissue (1), wherein the biological tissue comprises stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis;
• c) a deflector (8f) configured to controllably direct the first laser beam (4) in various directions, one direction at a time;
• d) a laser beam shaping device that is configured to reshape the energy intensity distribution within the first laser beam (4);
• e) a poration controller (11) that is configured to control the laser source (7) and the deflector (8f) to create a poration comprising a plurality of individual pores (2) in the biological tissue (1), wherein the individual pores extend through the stratum corneum and part of the epidermis but not into the dermis, wherein the poration controller (11) is configured to control the laser source (7) to emit pulses of the first laser beam (4), and further configured to direct the pulses to impact a single one of the plurality of pores (2) at least twice;
• f) a feedback mechanism (13) that is operationally coupled to the poration controller, and configured to analyze a characteristic of the single one of the plurality of pores (2);
• and
• g) wherein the poration controller (11) is further configured to compare the characteristic of the single one of the plurality of pores with a preset value, and to prevent a further pulse of the first laser beam from being directed into the single one of the plurality of pores if the characteristic of the single one of the plurality of pores is at least as great as the preset value.