High-energy diode side-pumped Er:LiYF4 laser.

This work presents a novel diode side-pumping scheme for Er:YLF with a characteristic laser emission at 2.81 µm. Average output powers greater than 10 W and corresponding pulse energies exceeding 100 mJ with a high slope efficiency of 18.7% are achieved. The Er:YLF laser efficiently operates at room-temperature cooling water and maintains a good beam quality of M2<12 in the major axis and M2<6 in the minor axis of the beam profile. The laser cavity is studied by means of Findlay-Clay analysis, and the operation at characteristic pump parameters is investigated. In addition, a dynamic laser rate equation simulation is introduced for quantitative and qualitative comparison. This compact and scalable free-running Er:YLF laser provides an effective building block for a subsequent Q-switching concept.

Using laser microporation to improve transdermal delivery of diclofenac: Increasing bioavailability and the range of therapeutic applications.

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of laser microporation, using P.L.E.A.S.E.® technology, on diclofenac delivery kinetics. Skin transport of diclofenac was studied from aqueous solution, propylene glycol and marketed formulations across intact and laser-porated porcine and human skins; cumulative permeation and skin deposition were quantified by HPLC. After 24h, cumulative diclofenac permeation across skins with 150, 300, 450 and 900 shallow pores (50-80 µm) was 3.7-, 7.5-, 9.2- and 13-fold superior to that across untreated skin. It was also found to be linearly dependent on laser fluence; Permeation (µg/cm(2))=11.35*Fluence (J/cm(2))+352.3; r(2)=0.99. After 24h, permeation was 539.6 ± 78.1, 934.5 ± 451.5, 1451.9 ± 151.3 and 1858.6 ± 308.5 µg/cm(2), at 22.65, 45.3, 90.6 and 135.9 J/cm(2), respectively. However, there was no statistically significant effect of laser fluence on skin deposition. Diclofenac delivery from marketed gel formulations was also significantly higher across laser-porated skins (e.g. for Solaraze, cumulative permeation after 24h across treated (900 pores/135.9 J/cm(2)) and untreated skin was 974.9 ± 368.8 and 8.2 ± 3.8 µg/cm(2), respectively. Diclofenac delivery from Solaraze across laser-porated porcine and human skins was also shown to be statistically equivalent. The results demonstrated that laser microporation significantly increased diclofenac transport from both simple and semi-solid formulations through porcine and human skin and that pore depth and pore number could modulate delivery kinetics. A similar improvement in topical diclofenac delivery in vivo may increase the number of potential therapeutic applications.

Strong field quantum path control using attosecond pulse trains.

We show that attosecond pulse trains have a natural application in the control of strong field processes. In combination with an intense infrared laser field, the pulse train can be used to microscopically select a single quantum path contribution to a process that would otherwise consist of several interfering components. We present calculations that demonstrate this by manipulating the time-frequency properties of high order harmonics at the single atom level. This quantum path selection can also be used to define a high resolution attosecond clock.