<title>Surface characterization of laser-ablated hard tissue: a comparison of scanning white-light interferometry and electron microscopy</title>

Abstract

The analysis of laser treated surfaces has relied heavily on traditional methods of microscopy. For the analysis of fine detail, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) remains the method of choice. Though the resolution of SEM is superb, the cost and time required to prepare tissue for analysis is often prohibitive. This is particularly true with respect to the analysis of laser treated tissues. In this study, scanning white light interferometry is compared with conventional SEM for analysis of ablation craters in bone. Porcine calvarial bone (cortical and otic) is machined into thin sections and treated with argon (514 nm) and KTP (Nd:YAG) (532 nm). SEM is performed on selected ablation specimens. Similar specimens are scanned using a white light interferometer, and the images are compared. While the interferometric methods lack the spatial resolution of SEM, it provides useful information on the surface contour. Detailed topographic information on the bone surface and ablation crater is obtained. This information can be used for analysis of surface texture. The interferometric methods are particularly useful for characterizing subtle surface changes. Interferometric methods of microscopy have their greatest utility in that no special preparation of tissue beyond dehydration is necessary, in contrast to SEM where gold-coating of tissue is required. Scanning white light interferometry is a simple and cost-effective alternative to SEM when quantitative structural and morphologic information is required.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.