Focus issue introduction: Laser Ignition Conference.

The purpose of this feature issue is to share information on laser ignition and related sciences and technologies. This feature offers five papers in the field that cover aspects of laser-induced laser ignition, including novel giant pulse micro-lasers, new phenomena of laser breakdown, advanced combustion systems and applications. These topics were chosen from the first Laser Ignition Conference (LIC) covering the topics of high brightness lasers for ignition and diagnostics, laser ignited engines for power generators and vehicles, and from a joint symposium with the Laser Display Conference covering applications of high brightness lasers.

Low level light therapy by LED of different wavelength induces angiogenesis and improves ischemic wound healing.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Low-level light therapy (LLLT) has been revealed as a potential means to improve wound healing. So far, most studies are being performed with irradiation in the red to near-infrared spectra. Recently, we showed that blue light (470 nm) can significantly influence biological systems such as nitric oxide (NO) metabolism and is able to release NO from nitrosyl-hemoglobin or mitochondrial protein complexes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the therapeutic value of blue or red light emitting diodes (LEDs) on wound healing in an ischemia disturbed rodent flap model. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: An abdominal flap was rendered ischemic by ligation of one epigastric bundle and subjected to LED illumination with a wavelength of 470 nm (blue, n = 8) or 629 nm (red, n = 8) each at 50 mW/cm(2) and compared to a non-treated control group (n = 8). Illumination was performed for 10 minutes on five consecutive days. RESULTS: LED therapy with both wavelengths significantly increased angiogenesis in the sub-epidermal layer and intramuscularly (panniculus carnosus muscle) which was associated with significantly improved tissue perfusion 7 days after the ischemic insult. Accordingly, tissue necrosis was significantly reduced and shrinkage significantly less pronounced in the LED-treated groups of both wavelengths. CONCLUSIONS: LED treatment of ischemia challenged tissue improved early wound healing by enhancing angiogenesis irrespective of the wavelength thus delineating this noninvasive means as a potential, cost effective tool in complicated wounds.

Hollow-core photonic-crystal fibres for laser dentistry.

Hollow-core photonic-crystal fibres (PCFs) for the delivery of high-fluence laser radiation capable of ablating tooth enamel are developed. Sequences of picosecond pulses of 1.06 microm Nd:YAG-laser radiation with a total energy of about 2 mJ are transmitted through a hollow-core photonic-crystal fibre with a core diameter of approximately 14 microm and are focused on a tooth surface in vitro to ablate dental tissue. The hollow-core PCF is shown to support the single-fundamental-mode regime for 1.06 microm laser radiation, serving as a spatial filter and allowing the laser beam quality to be substantially improved. The same fibre is used to transmit emission from plasmas produced by laser pulses on the tooth surface in the backward direction for detection and optical diagnostics.

In situ investigation of laser-induced ignition and the early stages of methane-air combustion at high pressures using a rapidly tuned diode laser at 2.55 microm.

The laser-induced ignition of methane/air-mixtures at elevated pressures was investigated by an absorption spectroscopic technique. A room temperature continuous wave InGaAsSb/AlGaAsSb quantum well ridge diode laser was wavelength tuned around 2.55 mum by periodically modulating the injection current from 0 to 174 mA at a 5 kHz repetition rate. The laser heat sink temperature was fixed at 291 K. The infrared laser beam was sent through the pressurized combustion vessel perpendicularly to the igniting laser beam (Nd:YAG laser, 10 ns pulse duration, 20 mJ) at the position of the ignition spark. Fuel-rich to fuel-lean mixtures of methane/air (air equivalence ratio 0.89, 1.06, 1.42, 2.50) were investigated at initial pressures of up to 3 MPa. The initial temperature was 473 K, the volume of the combustion vessel 0.9x10(-3) m(3). The formation of water vapor in the vicinity of the laser spark was tracked by the diode laser. The time resolution of the measurements was 0.2 ms for a total continuous measurement time of up to 1 s. In this way, the laser-induced ignition and its accompanying effects could be investigated on a time scale spanning four orders of magnitude. Apart from the absorbance of water vapor which could be determined semi-quantitatively (due to the effects of severe pressure broadening at high pressures and the ignorance of the exact temperature distribution after ignition), the emissions from the flame (broadband, 1-10 mum) and a gas inhomogeneity index were recorded. The gas inhomogeneity index was obtained by extracting a frequency variable from the time-dependent fluctuations of the transmitted laser intensities and calculating its derivation. The absorbance of water vapor, the emissions from the flame and the gas inhomogeneity index were found to be a powerful tool to characterize laser-induced ignition. Major implications of in situ species concentration measurements at high pressures for the design and development of high-load combustors are presented.

Laser ablation of dental tissues with picosecond pulses of 1.06-microm radiation transmitted through a hollow-core photonic-crystal fiber.

Sequences of picosecond pulses of 1.06-microm Nd:YAG laser radiation with a total energy of approximately 2 mJ are transmitted through a hollow-core photonic-crystal fiber with a core diameter of approximately 14 microm and are focused onto a tooth's surface in vitro to ablate dental tissue. The hollow-core photonic-crystal fiber is shown to support the single-fundamental-mode regime for 1.06-microm laser radiation, serving as a spatial filter and allowing the laser beam's quality to be substantially improved. The same fiber is used to transmit emission from plasmas produced by laser pulses onto the tooth's surface in the backward direction for detection and optical diagnostics.