Midwest Free-Electron Laser Program
Abstract
It has been shown that pulsed Nd:YAG irradiation of nervous tissue in both mammalian and frog preparations produces selective damage to conduction and axoplasmic transport in small caliber sensory afferent fibers, which may be those responsible for pain sensation. In addition, the thermal affects on peripheral nerve appear to be primarily on sodium channels. This preferential sodium effect can be enhanced or developed further for clinical use to provide novel interventions in anesthesia and surgical treatment of painful conditions. A laser system was built to simulate the high energy pulses of a low repetition rate FEL in the infrared and was used to develop the necessary techniques for the study of transient pump-probe experiments with infrared probe wavelengths. It was employed as a transient IR probe of UV laser effects in the study of metal-ligand dissociation. A novel chrono-coherent imaging technique has been developed which uses time gating with coherent holographic recording. Utilizing short pulses, such as those from the FEL, this technique should provide a means of imaging inside the skin using optical wavelengths. A unique method of short- range electron transfer across a single bond to form a dissociated ion pair has been studied as a function of solvent. Also, the laser mediated release of dye from liposomes has been investigated. Several types of flexible waveguides, suitable for the delivery of output beams of infrared FELs tunable within the 1 to 10 micron range and average power of up to 100 Watts, have been developed. It included both theoretical and experimental studies of hollow metallic waveguides, particularly of two types: whispering-gallery and hollow circular waveguides.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 17, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA247264
Entities
People
- K. G. Spears
- L. I. Grossweiner
- L. J. Cerullo
- L. L. Gershbein
- M. E. Marhic
- M. Epstein
- W. Z. Rymer