Drug delivery with microsecond laser pulses into gelatin

Photo acoustic drug delivery is a technique for localized drug delivery by laser-induced hydrodynamic pressure following cavitation bubble expansion and collapse. Photoacoustic drug delivery was investigated on gelatin-based thrombus models with planar and cylindrical geometries by use of one microsecond laser pulses. Solutions of a hydrophobic dye in mineral oil permitted monitoring of delivered colored oil into clear gelatin-based thrombus models. Cavitation bubble development and photoacoustic drug delivery were visualized with flash photography. This study demonstrated that cavitation is the governing mechanism for photoacoustic drug delivery, and the deepest penetration of colored oil in gels followed the bubble collapse. Spatial distribution measurements revealed that colored oil could be driven a few millimeters into the gels in both axial and radial directions, and the penetration was less than 500 μm when the gelatin structure was not fractured.     

脉冲激光烧蚀过程中阻尼系数的角度分布

采用脉冲激光烧蚀(PLA)技术,在半圆环衬底上制备了含有纳米晶粒的硅(Si)晶薄膜。分析了纳米Si晶粒尺寸和阻尼系数随角度和压强的变化关系。使用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)和拉曼光谱仪(Raman)对其表面形貌和结构进行了表征。结果表明,在压强一定的情况下,纳米Si晶粒的尺寸和阻尼系数均相对于轴向呈对称分布,并随着偏离轴向角度的增加而减小;同时随着压强增大,晶粒尺寸和阻尼系数在各个角度处的值均增大。     

Microstructural development in microsecond pulsed laser melted polycrystalline nickel

The microsecond Nd glass pulsed laser interaction with polycrystalline nickel was studied with particular emphasis on melting and the nature of the microstructural development following irradiation. The change in the melt pool shape and the melting efficiency as a function of the total laser power has been determined. Evidence is presented to show that for low energy pulse, the microstructural development accompanies fresh nucleation of grains and leads to a finer grain size than that of the substrate. At a higher energy level, growth competition leads to a coarser grain size. We also report a banded feature roughly parallel to the melt substrate interface that develops in the resolidified region during high energy interaction. These results are discussed in the light of our present understanding of rapid solidification processes.     

Nano-and microsecond laser pulse confinement in compensated gallium arsenide

Experimental data on the nano-and microsecond pulsed laser radiation (λ=1.315 μm) confinement in compensated GaAs are reported. There are three regions of confinement, which are controlled by radiation selfdefocusing due to single-photon absorption by deep impurity levels, self-defocusing due to two-photon absorption, and self-focusing caused by thermal dynamic lens formation.     

Film formation during pulsed laser ablation of nickel-palladium composite targets

The films of Pd, Ni, and a Ni-Pd alloy have been obtained by pulsed laser ablation of Ni-Pd composite targets and characterized by electron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating-sample magnetometry techniques. It is established that a nonmagnetic metastable hexagonal phase is formed in Ni and Ni-Pd films. Upon annealing, these films acquire an equilibrium cubic structure and exhibit hysteresis during the magnetization reversal. The dependence of the solid-solution lattice constant on the concentration exhibits a positive deviation from Vegard’s law, which is characteristic of alloys with concave liquidus curves.     

Detailed mass spectrometric studies during laser ablation of yttrium target in high vacuum

Time-integrated and-resolved mass spectrometric investigations were carried out during the laser ablation of yttrium target in high vacuum. The main aim of these experiments was to study the implications of the target surface chemistry and of the residual gas on the deposition process quality. The effect of the laser energy density on the ionic species formation during the ablation process was investigated. It was found that at a moderate laser fluence of 4.5 J/cm² none hydrides, oxides nor nitrides of yttrium were observed; on the contrary, at a higher laser fluence of 7.6 J/cm², the above chemical species were observed. During and after the laser ablation process, a getter effect was observed due to the absorption of the residual gas by the Y layer deposited on the internal wall of the vacuum system. The results of these mass spectrometric analyses will be useful to improve the performances of photocathodes based on Y thin films grown by pulsed laser ablation technique.     

Carbon nanofoam formed by laser ablation

Foam-like carbon (carbon nanofoam, CNF) which belongs to the porous carbon family is formed by pulsed laser ablation of graphite in liquid nitrogen. Each bubble is about 3-10 nm in size and has a layered structure with typically one to four graphene layers. The CNF forms nanoparticles of about 100 nm in size. CNF encapsulating platinum nanoparticles (Pt@CNF) is formed when a mixture of graphite, platinum, and hexadecanoic acid is used as a target. Each bubble encapsulating a platinum nanoparticle is approximately 15 +/- 4 nm in diameter and contains typically 6 +/- 3 graphene walls. The platinum nanoparticles in the CNF are 9 +/- 4 nm in diameter. The annealing of the Pt@CNF at 300 degrees C for a week in vacuum reveals that the CNF effectively prevents the platinum nanoparticles from aggregating.     

Low-power resonant laser ablation of copper

We emphasize two points: (l) the properties and mechanisms of very low-fluence ablation of copper surfaces and (2) the sensitivity and selectivity of resonant laser ablation (RLA). We present results for ablation of bulk copper and copper thin films; spot-size effects; the effects of surface-sample preparation and beam polarization; and an accurate measurement of material removal rates, typically ≤ 10(-3) ? at 35 mJ/cm(2). Velocity distributions were Maxwellian, with peak velocities ≈ 1-2 × 10(5) cm/s. In addition, we discuss the production of diffractionlike surface features, and the probable participation of nonthermal desorption mechanisms. RLA is shown to be a sensitive and useful diagnostic for studies of low-fluence laser-material interactions.     

激光法制备碳质纳米材料

通过介绍在气体和液体介质中激光与固体材料相互作用的过程,评述了激光在不同介质中发生物理化学现象的差异.与气相中相比,激光冲蚀液体中固体材料产生的气态等离子区受到了液体限制,在该区域会产生更高的气态密度、温度和压力,适合于亚稳相纳米晶的合成.同时评述了激光制备碳基纳米材料的进展.激光在气相和液相中均可制得碳纳米管,气相中适于制备结构完整的碳纳米管,而液相中有利于纳米金刚石的合成.激光冲蚀液体中的石墨靶制备的纳米金刚石粒径较大,辐照石墨悬浮液工艺不仅可以获得超细的纳米金刚石还可以获得线型碳.激光法制备的碳基纳米材料具有尺寸小、纯度高和形状多样性,在未来有着广泛的潜在应用价值.     

Percolation in laser ablation of binary mixtures

We have studied the optical emission of plasma expanding from a target made of a binary alloy or a pressed powder mixture and ablated by nanosecond laser pulses of moderate power. The intensity of spectral lines has been studied for the first time as dependent on the target composition. It is established that a three-dimensional percolation takes place in the plasma, with a percolation threshold determined by the atomic density of a metal component in the target composition.     

Chemically assisted laser ablation ICP mass spectrometry

A new laser ablation technique combined with a chemical evaporation reaction has been developed for elemental ratio analysis of solid samples using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICPMS). Using a chemically assisted laser ablation (CIA) technique developed in this study, analytical repeatability of the elemental ratio measurement was successively improved. To evaluate the reliability of the CLA-ICPMS technique, Pb/U isotopic ratios were determined for zircon samples that have previously been analyzed by other techniques. Conventional laser ablation for Pb/U shows a serious elemental fractionation during ablation mainly due to the large difference in elemental volatility between Pb and U. In the case of Pb/U ratio measurement, a Freon R-134a gas (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane) was introduced into the laser cell as a fluorination reactant. The Freon gas introduced into the laser cell reacts with the ablated sample U, and refractory U compounds are converted to a volatile U fluoride compound (UF6) under the high-temperature condition at the ablation site. This avoids the redeposition of U around the ablation pits. Although not all the U is reacted with Freon, formation of volatile UF compounds improves the transmission efficiency of U. Typical precision of the 206Pb/238U ratio measurement is 3-5% (2sigma) for NIST SRM 610 and Nancy 91500 zircon standard, and the U-Pb age data obtained here show good agreement within analytical uncertainties with the previously reported values. Since the observed Pb/U ratio for solid samples is relatively insensitive to laser power and ablation time, optimization of ablation conditions or acquisition parameters no longer needs to be performed on a sample-to-sample basis.     

Existence of phase explosion during laser ablation and its effects on inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy

A sudden increase in crater depth was observed during high irradiance (> 10(10) W/cm2) laser ablation of silicon, and it is attributed to the phenomenon of phase explosion. The threshold irradiance for phase explosion showed a dependence on two laser parameters: laser beam spot size and wavelength. For a larger beam size and longer incident wavelength, a higher laser irradiance was required to generate phase explosion. The rapid increase of crater depth above the phase explosion threshold irradiance correlated with a significant increase in the ICPMS signal intensity. The ratio of crater volume to ICPMS intensity, which represents entrainment efficiency, remained the lowest at laser irradiances slightly above the phase explosion threshold. However, this ratio increased at irradiances well above the threshold (> 10(11) W/cm2). Chemical analysis using laser ablation at irradiance above 10(11) W/cm2 provides increased sensitivity via improved entrainment and transport efficiency and increased ablation rate.     

Investigation of laser ablation loading of polymers

For polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene targets irradiated by laser pulses with energy densities within 100–1000 J/cm², the ablation loading coefficients amount to 8–11% and 8–10%, respectively. These values satisfactorily agree with theoretical estimates of the ablation loading, which are about 6–8%.     

A finite element model to predict the ablation depth in pulsed laser ablation

This work presents development of a two-dimensional finite element model to predict temperature distribution and ablation depth in a laser ablation process. The model considers a number of aspects of the process, which hitherto have been considered independently in the literature. The aspects considered include: temperature dependent material properties of the target material, effect of plasma shielding on the incident laser flux, and temperature dependent absorptivity and absorption coefficient of the target. It was evident that these considerations have resulted in a significant improvement in the ability of the model to predict the ablation depth. Finally, the predicted ablation depth was found to match extremely well with experimental results at lower laser fluences, though at higher fluences there is a marginal overestimation.     

Zinc nanoparticles in solution by laser ablation technique

Colloidal zinc metallic nanoparticles are synthesized using pulsed laser ablation of metal plate in an aqueous solution of suitable surfactant to prevent aggregation. UV-visible absorption, TEM, small angle X-ray diffraction and wide-angle X-ray diffraction are used for the characterization of colloidal zinc metallic nanoparticles. Colloidal nanoparticles are found highly stable for a long time.     

In vitro characterization of laser ablation pseudowollastonite coating

Pseudowollastonite (CaSiO₃) coatings on titanium alloy substrates were prepared by laser ablation. The in vitro bioactivity of the coatings was examined for its biomedical applicability which was evaluated by immersion in human parotid saliva. The pseudowollastonite-coatings were soaked for various periods and characterized by SEM-EDS, XRD, FTIR, and TEM analysis, and the results indicated that the carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA) was formed on the surface of the coatings within 1 day. In addition, cell attachment test showed that the pseudowollastonite-coatings supported the mesenchymal stem cells adhesion and spreading, and the cells established close contacts with the ceramics after 1 day of culture. These findings indicate that the pseudowollastonite-coatings possesses good bioactivity, biocompatibility and could be of interest in specific periodontal applications for bone restorative purposes.     

Deposition of zirconium monoxide glomeruli by laser ablation

 Zirconia is evermore in demand as a thermal barrier coating (TBC) for energy economy and metal protection. Several methods are in use to produce the coatings, including sol-gel, CVD and PVD, however laser ablation, has not been notoriously reported. The present work presents the use of a N₂-SF₆ pulsed laser beam, focused (6 J/cm²) on a metallic zirconium target in a reactor with low pressures of oxygen or helium. Sparks were observed in oxygen atmosphere, which denoted oxidation of laser ablated zirconium. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and optical interferometric microscopy, identifying small agglomerates of ZrO (cubic phase) studied the crystallographic structure and morphology of the obtained particles. The pyrophorous oxidation phenomenon of ablated Zr droplets is described and interpreted by thermochemical simulations, and the deposited morphology is characterized. Received: 23 March 1998 / Accepted: 30 July 1998     

Infrared laser ablation atmospheric pressure photoionization mass spectrometry

In this paper we introduce laser ablation atmospheric pressure photoionization (LAAPPI), a novel atmospheric pressure ion source for mass spectrometry. In LAAPPI the analytes are ablated from water-rich solid samples or from aqueous solutions with an infrared (IR) laser running at 2.94 μm wavelength. Approximately 12 mm above the sample surface, the ablation plume is intercepted with an orthogonal hot solvent (e.g., toluene or anisole) jet, which is generated by a heated nebulizer microchip and directed toward the mass spectrometer inlet. The ablated analytes are desolvated and ionized in the gas-phase by atmospheric pressure photoionization using a 10 eV vacuum ultraviolet krypton discharge lamp. The effect of operational parameters and spray solvent on the performance of LAAPPI is studied. LAAPPI offers ~300 μm lateral resolution comparable to, e.g., matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization. In addition to polar compounds, LAAPPI efficiently ionizes neutral and nonpolar compounds. The bioanalytical application of the method is demonstrated by the direct LAAPPI analysis of rat brain tissue sections and sour orange (Citrus aurantium) leaves.     

Infrared laser ablation sample transfer for MALDI imaging

An infrared laser was used to ablate material from tissue sections under ambient conditions for direct collection on a matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) target. A 10 μm thick tissue sample was placed on a microscope slide and was mounted tissue-side down between 70 and 450 μm from a second microscope slide. The two slides were mounted on a translation stage, and the tissue was scanned in two dimensions under a focused mid-infrared (IR) laser beam to transfer material to the target slide via ablation. After the material was transferred to the target slide, it was analyzed using MALDI imaging using a tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Images were obtained from peptide standards for initial optimization of the system and from mouse brain tissue sections using deposition either onto a matrix precoated target or with matrix addition after sample transfer and compared with those from standard MALDI mass spectrometry imaging. The spatial resolution of the transferred material is approximately 400 μm. Laser ablation sample transfer provides several new capabilities not possible with conventional MALDI imaging including (1) ambient sampling for MALDI imaging, (2) area to spot concentration of ablated material, (3) collection of material for multiple imaging analyses, and (4) direct collection onto nanostructure assisted laser desorption ionization (NALDI) targets without blotting or ultrathin sections.