Very accurate temperature control of bones by a CO₂ laser for medical applications

In this paper, we show that the temperature of porcine bone samples can be maintained to a constant value within the range of 40°C-75°C. For this temperature range, it was also shown that a porcine bone sample could be kept at a given temperature within a fraction of a degree Celsius. This method relies on a real-time feedback computer control between a noncontact sensor and a CO₂ laser operating at a typical repetition rate within the 5-20 kHz range. Results are shown for domesticated porcine bones that strongly absorb the CO₂ radiation at λ=10.6  μm.