Laser-assisted ablation of corneal-like material using focused femtosecond laser pulses

In this article we investigate laser-assisted ablation of Hydroxy Ethyl Methacrylate (Hydro-gel) material using 30 femtosecond laser pulses delivered from a Ti:Sapphire multipass amplifier with a repetition rate of 1 kHz. Measurements of the crater depth, width and removed volume as a function of laser pulse energy and pulse number were made for stationary and translated ablation. Based on laser fluence, crater profile, collateral damage and translation speed, optimal laser parameters for efficient micromachining were defined. The results presented in this paper will be important for future developments in laser ophthalmology, where insight into the optimal laser parameters for corneal-like surgery will decrease both processing time and collateral tissue damage.