Optical properties of dental enamel in the mid-IR determined bypulsed photothermal radiometry

摘要

Time-resolved thermal emission measurements were used to determinenthe absorption coefficients of dental enamel at 9.6, 10.3, and 10.6nΜm. Time resolved thermal emission from the enamel surface wasnmodeled using numerical simulations of heat conduction coupled withnradiative heat transfer. Thermal emission was measured using HgCdZnTendetectors during IR laser irradiation with Λ9.6, 10.3 and 10.6nΜm CO2 laser pulses of 2-Μs duration. The method wasnverified in regions of low absorption for which absorption coefficientsnwere available using direct transmission measurements, The absorptionncoefficients were determined to be 8000, 1125, and 825 cm-1nat 9.6, 10.3, and 10.6 Μm, respectively. These results have importantnimplications in the development of CO2 lasers for thenablation and modification of dental hard tissue