Evaluation of the Potential Eye Hazard at Visible Wavelengths of the Supercontinuum Generated by an Ultrafast NIR Laser in Water

Abstract

Lasers with ultrashort pulse durations have become ubiquitous in various applications, including ocular surgery. Therefore, we need to consider the role of nonlinear optical effects, such as supercontinuum generation during propagation within the ocular media, when evaluating their potential hazard. We used a NIR femtosecond laser to generate a supercontinuum within an artificial eye. We recorded the visible spectra of the supercontinuum generated and calculated the energy contained within the visible band. Our results indicate that for wavelengths between 1350 nm and 1450 nm the energy contained within the visible band of the generated white light supercontinuum may surpass current safety exposure limits, and pose a risk of injury to the retina.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2021
Accession Number
AD1121825

Entities

People

  • Amanda M. Peterson
  • Benjamin A. Rockwell
  • Brian J. Lund
  • Francesco J. Echeverria
  • Gary D. Noojin
  • Joseph E. Clary
  • Xomalin G Peralta

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Electromagnetic Spectra
  • Femtosecond Lasers
  • Femtosecond Time
  • Ionizing Radiation
  • Laser Beams
  • Laser Pulses
  • Lasers
  • Light (Electromagnetic Radiation)
  • Light Sources
  • Materials
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Measurement
  • Nonlinear Optics
  • Optical Properties
  • Optics
  • Prostheses And Implants
  • Radiation
  • Repetition Rate
  • Spectra
  • Spectroscopy
  • United States
  • Visible Spectra

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Neurotrauma and Rehabilitation Medicine.
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy