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1Fiber lasers in modern medical technologies
Vladimir Minaev
IRE-Polus Ltd, Fryazino, Moscow Region, Russia
The first fiber laser (FL) was created by E. Snitzer (Polaroid) in 1961 [1] and at 1989 their output power reached 120 mW. In 1990 V. Gapontsev and I. Samartsev presented FL with an output power of 2 W [2]. The following year, they presented a 3.9 W FL and proved the possibility of creating FL with an output power of more than 100 W [3]. Thus, prerequisites were created for expanding the field of FL use, including in medicine. In the early 2000s, NTO "IRE-Polyus" developed and registered medical devices with FL with wavelengths X = 1.55; 1.06; 1.94 ^m and two independently controlled radiations X = 0.97 + 1.55 ¿nil [4].
The developed medical devices with FL, as well as with diode lasers, were revolutionary differs from devices based on traditional lasers:
- Making the optical part of the apparatus in the form of an integrated fiber device increases their reliability, reduces the impact of the environment and mechanical effects on them, simplifies and reduces the cost of use. They do not require regular maintenance.
- They are distinguished by high efficiency, small dimensions, weight and consumption.
- Possibility to output in thin working fiber. It is simple to output several independently controlled radiations with different wavelengths into the working fiber.
Active work with leading Russian doctors, begun in the early 2000s, made it possible to develop and register more than 10 medical technologies, many of which have no analogues based on other methods of action.
Developed by D. Gapontsev and V. Kancharia (IPG-Photonics) lasers based on thulium FL with X « 1.9 ^m and output power of more than 100 W allowed N. Fried and K. Murray [5] to show their effectiveness in urology for lithotripsy and BPH surgery. Based on these results, the IRE-Polyus Ltd has developed, registered and continues to improve devices of the "UroLase" ("FiberLase U") family, superior in characteristics to analogues with solid-state lasers. Urological devices with thulium FL from IPG are popular all over the world. With varying degrees of success, Russian and world manufacturers are trying to repeat them.
Now, the set of working wavelengths available in fiber lasers has been expanded, in particular:
- Visible laser family with wavelengths X « 0.54, 0.56, 0.59, 0.62 and 0.66 ^m with output power > 10 W [6].
- Raman laser with a wavelength of X « 1.68 ^m, corresponding to the minimum absorption in hemoglobin, with an output power of > 10 W [7].
- Optical parametric generators with pumping from FL and a wavelength of X « 3 ^m, corresponding to the maximum absorption in water with an output power of up to 25 W [8].
All this created a groundwork for the development of new medical devices and technologies.
[1] E. Snitzer, Optical Maser Action of Nd+3 in Barium Crown Glass, Phis. Rev. Lett., 7, No 12, pp.444-446, 1961.
[2] V. Gapontsev and I. Samartsev, High-Power Fiber Laser, Conference edition. Advanced Solid-State Lasers (Formerly Tunable Solid-State Lasers), March 5-7, 1990, Salt Lake City, Utah, p. 127.
[3] V. Gapontsev and I. Samartsev, High-Power Fiber Laser, OSA Proceedings on Advanced Solid-State Lasers, 1991, 6 p.258.
[4] V. Gapontsev, V. Minaev, V. Savin, I. Samartsev, Medical instruments based on high-power diode and fibre lasers, Quantum Electronics (2002), 32(11), pp.1003-1006.
[5] N. Fred and K. Murray, High-Power Thulium Fiber Laser ablation of the Canine Prostate, Proc. of SPIE, v.5686.
[6] A. Surin, T. Borisenko, Yu. Stirmanov, et al, A line of high-power continuous-wave VLM lasers with radiation power from 1.5 to 20 W in the range of 513-730 nm, Laser-Inform No 11-12, (2018).
[7] K.M. Zhilin, V. Minaev, I. Samartsev, Ya. Tezadov, Raman Laser at 1,68 ^m for Medical Applications, 5th International Symposium on High-Power Fiber Lasers and their Applications, at ICLO 2010 June 28th - July 1st, 2010, St.Petersburg, Russia.
[8] I.A. Larionov, A.S. Gulyashko, D.A. Alekseev, et al, High-efficient DFG of fiber lasers radiation in the spectral region of 3um for soft tissue ablation. 6th International Symposium on Lasers in Medicine and Biophotonics, at ICLO 2020. November 1st-5th.
