Laser Ablation Research Articles

Ovaries of estrogen receptor 1-deficient mice show iron overload and signs of aging.

Estrogens are crucial regulators of ovarian function, mediating their signaling through binding to estrogen receptors. The disruption of the estrogen receptor 1 (Esr1) provokes infertility associated with a hemorrhagic, cystic phenotype similar to that seen in diseased or aged ovaries. Our previous study indicated the possibility of altered iron metabolism in Esr1-deficient ovaries showing massive expression of lipocalin 2, a regulator of iron homeostasis. Therefore, we examined the consequences of depleting Esr1 in mouse ovaries, focusing on iron metabolism. For that reason, we compared ovaries of adult Esr1-deficient animals and age-matched wild type littermates. We found increased iron accumulation in Esr1-deficient animals by using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Western blot analysis and RT-qPCR confirmed that iron overload alters iron transport, storage and regulation. In addition, trivalent iron deposits in form of hemosiderin were detected in Esr1-deficient ovarian stroma. The depletion of Esr1 was further associated with an aberrant immune cell landscape characterized by the appearance of macrophage-derived multinucleated giant cells (MNGCs) and increased quantities of macrophages, particularly M2-like macrophages. Similar to reproductively aged animals, MNGCs in Esr1-deficient ovaries were characterized by iron accumulation and strong autofluorescence. Finally, deletion of Esr1 led to a significant increase in ovarian mast cells, involved in iron-mediated foam cell formation. Given that these findings are characteristics of ovarian aging, our data suggest that Esr1 deficiency triggers mechanisms similar to those associated with aging.

Carbon Dot Based Carbon Nanoparticles as Potent Antimicrobial, Antiviral, and Anticancer Agents.

Antimicrobial and anticancer drugs are widely used due to increasing widespread infectious diseases caused by microorganisms such as bacterial, fungal, viral agents, or cancer cells, which are one of the major causes of mortality globally. Nevertheless, several microorganisms developed resistance to antibiotics as a result of genetic changes that have occurred over an extended period. Carbon-based materials, particularly carbon dots (C-dots), are potential candidates for antibacterial and anticancer nanomaterials due to their low toxicity, ease of synthesis and functionalization, high dispersibility in aqueous conditions, and promising biocompatibility. In this Review, the content is divided into four sections. The first section concentrates on C-dot structures, surface functionalization, and morphology. Following that, we summarize C-dot classifications and preparation methods such as arc discharge, laser ablation, electrochemical oxidation, and so on. The antimicrobial applications of C-dots as antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral agents both in vivo and in vitro are discussed. Finally, we thoroughly examined the anticancer activity displayed by C-dots.

Pesticide uptake and translocation in plants monitored in situ via laser ablation dielectric barrier discharge ionization mass spectrometry imaging

For reducing pesticide usage and enhancing the effectiveness of pest control, it is necessary to elucidate the mechanisms of pesticide uptake and translocation in plants. Here, atmospheric pressure laser ablation dielectric barrier discharge ionization mass spectrometry imaging (LA-DBDI-MSI) was used to for in-situ monitoring of pesticide uptake and translocation in plants with a spatial resolution of 25 μm, and only requiring minimal or no sample preparation. Roots and leaves of tomato plants that had been exposed to a systemic pesticide, difenoconazole, were studied. From MSI data of tomato leaves, we found that difenoconazole was mainly distributed in the leaf veins after 6 days of pesticide exposure, but distributed throughout the leaf after 10 days of pesticide exposure. Endogenous substances are mainly distributed in the mesophyll, but are not present in the veins. This study clarifies the uptake and translocation mechanism of pesticides in plants, which is of great significance for reducing the dosage of pesticides and improving the effect of plant disease control.

Hydrodynamic expansion and plume splitting of the ultrafast laser-induced plasma during ablation of multi-element metallic materials under atmospheric condition

In this study, the hydrodynamic expansion and splitting effect of ultrafast laser-induced plasma plume for multi-element alloys were studied. A fully coupled hydrodynamic model for femtosecond laser ablation of multi-element alloys was presented to study the ambipolar electric field during the plume expansion process. The model utilized a level-set equation to capture the interface between the condensed phase and the gaseous phase and accounted for the reaction between different species. A time-gate direct fluorescence measurement was conducted for the target material of brass, a Cu–Zn alloy, to validate the simulation results. The simulation results showed good agreement with the experimental results and were able to predict the plume-splitting effect. The ambipolar electric field induced by charged particle distribution difference was studied in detail. It was found that the ambipolar electric field was the dominant cause for the acceleration of ions, which yielded plume splitting during the expansion process. The fully coupled HD model was further used to explore the effect of the beam spot size, laser fluence, and the pulse width on plasma plume splitting.

Fe-carbide/Fe-oxide-based nanocomposites synthesized as magnetic nanomaterials via laser ablation synthesis in solution (LASiS)

Magnetic nanostructured materials (MNMs) have gained prominence in materials technology developments owing to their potential biomedical applications for hyperthermia cancer treatment, and transplant organ cryopreservation. Herein, we report the facile and cost-effective synthesis of Fe-based composite MNMs, comprising both Fe@Fe2O3 and Fe3C@C core-shell nanoparticles (NPs), via Laser Ablation Synthesis in Solution (LASiS) using Fe targets ablated under acetone and toluene. Detailed materials characterizations using electron microscopy-based imaging, diffraction studies, and spectroscopic analyses - including Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopy - relate the structure-composition properties for different Fe-oxide/carbide phases in the aforesaid MNMs to their respective magnetic responses. Specifically, we confirm the presence of ultra-small (2–10 nm) amorphous Fe-oxide NPs, as well as Fe@Fe2O3 core-shell NPs (20–40 nm) in the samples synthesized by ablating Fe under acetone. In contrast, samples synthesized under toluene indicate a higher concentration of Fe3C@C core-shell NPs (20–40 nm) with a relatively low concentration of Fe2O3 NPs (2–10 nm). Furthermore, the crystallinity of the metallic phases and carbonaceous shell coatings are systematically increased by carrying out LASiS under heated toluene (up to ∼95 °C). Mössbauer spectroscopy results indicate that the elevation in toluene temperature leads to an increase in the concentrations of Fe3C@C NPs from ∼40 % to ∼53 % (at.).

The Learning Curve and Clinical Outcomes With 250 Laser Ablations for Brain Tumors: A Pathway to Experience.

Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) has gained popularity as a minimally invasive technique for treating brain tumors. Despite its proven safety profile, LITT is not yet widely available, and there is a lack of data on the learning curve required to achieve proficiency. This study analyzes a 250-patient cohort of laser-ablated tumors to describe changes in patient selection and clinical outcomes over time and experience, with the aim of providing insight into the learning curve for incorporating LITT into a neuro-oncology program and identifying a cutoff point that distinguishes novice from expert performance. We retrospectively reviewed 250 patients with brain tumor who underwent LITT between 2013 and 2022. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed. Kaplan Meier curves were used for survival analysis. Operative time was evaluated using exponential curve-fit regression analysis to identify when consistent improvement began. The patients were divided into quartiles (Q) based on their date of surgery. Mean tumor volume increased over time (Q1 = 5.7 and Q4 = 11.9 cm3, P = .004), and newly diagnosed lesions were more frequently ablated (P = .0001). Mean operative time (Q1 v Q4 = 322.3 v 204.6 min, P < .0001) and neurosurgical readmission rate (Q1 v Q4 = 7.8% v 0%, P = .03) were reduced over time. The exponential curve-fit analysis showed a sustained decay in operative time after case #74. The extent of ablation (P = .69), the recurrence (P = .11), and the postoperative complication rate (P = .78) did not vary over time. After treating 74 patients, a downward trend in the operative time is observed. Patient selection is broadened as experience increases.

Enhancing soot oxidation using microtextured surfaces

Biomass combustion provides energy needs for millions of people worldwide. However, soot accumulation on the combustors’ walls significantly reduces heat transfer efficiency. Herein, we demonstrate how microtextured surfaces minimize soot accumulation by enhancing soot oxidation. We investigate soot layers from the combustion of paraffin wax as a model for wood-based soot, and find that randomly microtextured glass obtained by sandblasting shows a 71% reduction in the time taken to oxidize 90% of surface soot coverage when compared to smooth glass at 530 °C. We also study grooved microtextures fabricated via laser ablation and find that grooves with widths between 15 and 50 µm enhance soot oxidation, while the expedited advantage is lost when the groove width is 85 µm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy validates the superior extent of soot removal on microtextures down to a sub-nanometer length-scale. The high density of sharp features such as peaks and edges on microtextures, and the conformality of the soot layer to the microtextures contribute to increased soot oxidation. We also demonstrate enhanced soot oxidation on microtextured stainless steel, the principal material of construction in biomass combustors. Microtextured surfaces that facilitate soot oxidation upon contact could significantly improve performance and longevity in various combustion applications.

Cryogenic assisted femtosecond laser ablation of polycrystalline diamond

Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tools have gained popularity in machining industry ascribed to superior surface quality and durability at elevated temperature and abrasive forces. A major obstacle for high-speed PCD machining is the excessive heat production that transcend the heat dissipation capacity, resulting in reduced tool life and performance. Surface microstructures on PCD tools can improve thermal performance by increasing the heat transfer area and reducing the thermal contact resistance, therefore enhancement in durability and operation. Femtosecond laser processing is a non-contact, high precision and low thermal effect technique for creating superior quality microstructures. This study investigates the effects of cryogenic-assisted femtosecond laser processing in improvement of diamond microstructures quality. Initially the effects of different laser settings on the performance of the process were investigated by conducting single-factor experiments at ambient conditions. Later, the effects of cryogenic assistance on diamond irradiation, surface quality and chemical changes were investigated utilizing laser confocal scanning microscopy (LCSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Cryogenic laser ablation had no effect on the diamond removal rate, on contrary improved the surface quality by reducing the surface roughness and graphite disorderliness. This study reports superior surface quality finish for cryogenic assisted laser ablation than ambient conditions therefore it is recommended to irradiate PCD at low temperatures.

Properties and antibacterial activity of MnFe2O4 nanoparticles obtained by pulsed laser ablation in liquid

In this study, MnFe2O4 nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated via pulsed laser ablation in liquid. Chemical and structural composition, microstructure, magnetic and antibacterial properties were characterized. Spinel was found as the main crystalline phase, while Fe2O3 and Mn2O3 were observed as the major secondary phases, all identified by X-ray diffractometry (XRD). Observation by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) indicated that most of the nanoparticles were spherical in shape and found in agglomerates, most likely because of their magnetic nature. Moreover, Fast Fourier Transform of selective area electron diffraction patterns pointed at the existence of crystalline particles. The coercive field (Hc) and saturation magnetization (Ms) values determined for these NPs were found to increase with decreasing temperature. Their antibacterial properties were evaluated using the viable bacteria counting technique (colony) for MnFe2O4 concentrations of 100 and 300 μg/mL with Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli strains.

Laser induced damage threshold of GaSe with antireflection microstructures at a wavelength of 5 µm.

Large GaSe crystals were grown and various antireflection microstructures (ARMs) were fabricated on their cleaved surfaces using optimized femtosecond laser ablation, which provided the antireflection effect in a wide wavelength range of 4-16µm. The influence of ARMs created on the GaSe surface on the change of the laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of the crystal at a wavelength of 5 μm was evaluated. The 5-µm Fe:ZnMgSe laser with the pulse duration of 135 ns was used for the LIDT test in conditions close to single pulse exposure. The measured values of LIDT of 56 ± 6MW/cm2 and 51 ± 9 MW/cm2 for two GaSe substrates, respectively, were comparable with the known data of single pulse LIDT of GaSe. The average LIDT intensities of 54 ± 6MW/cm2 and 52 ± 7 MW/cm2 for the ARMs at two GaSe plates, respectively, were close to LIDT intensities for the corresponding GaSe substrates. The ARMs with lower structural quality had lower LIDT (50-52 MW/cm2) in comparison with the high-quality ARMs (58-60 MW/cm2). High LIDT for high-quality ARMs can be caused by increased selenium content in the ARMs. In any case, all the tested ARMs on the GaSe plates with different surface quality are workable for development of widely tunable mid-infrared nonlinear optical converters.

Empowering NO2 Detection: Synthesis of Highly Responsive Au/Cu-Doped Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as Gas Sensors Through Laser Ablation

Empowering NO2 Detection: Synthesis of Highly Responsive Au/Cu-Doped Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as Gas Sensors Through Laser Ablation

Feasibility of High-Cellular-Resolution Full-Field, Artificial-Intelligence-Assisted, Real-Time Optical Coherence Tomography in the Evaluation of Vitiligo: A Prospective Longitudinal Follow-Up Study.

Vitiligo, a psychologically distressing pigmentary disorder characterized by white depigmented patches due to melanocyte loss, necessitates non-invasive tools for early detection and treatment response monitoring. High-cellular-resolution full-field optical coherence tomography (CRFF-OCT) is emerging in pigmentary disorder assessment, but its applicability in vitiligo repigmentation after tissue grafting remains unexplored. To investigate the feasibility of CRFF-OCT for evaluating vitiligo lesions following tissue grafting, our investigation involved ten vitiligo patients who underwent suction blister epidermal grafting and laser ablation at a tertiary center between 2021 and 2022. Over a six-month period, clinical features, dermoscopy, and photography data were recorded. Utilizing CRFF-OCT along with artificial intelligence (AI) applications, repigmentation features were captured and analyzed. The CRFF-OCT analysis revealed a distinct dark band in vitiligo lesion skin, indicating melanin loss. Grafted areas exhibited melanocytes with dendrites around the epidermal-dermal junction and hair follicles. CRFF-OCT demonstrated its efficacy in the early detection of melanocyte recovery and accurate melanin quantification. This study introduces CRFF-OCT as a real-time, non-invasive, and in vivo evaluation tool for assessing vitiligo repigmentation, offering valuable insights into pigmentary disorders and treatment responses.

Evaluation of temperature dependent vortex pinning properties in strongly pinned YBa2Cu3O7-δ thin films with Y2BaCuO5 nanoinclusions

The pinning of quantized magnetic vortices in superconducting YBa2Cu3O7- δ(YBCO or Y123) thin films with Y2BaCuO5 (Y211) nanoinclusions have been investigated over wide temperature range (4.2–77 K). The concentration of Y211 nanoinclusions has been systematically varied inside YBCO thin films prepared by laser ablation technique using surface modified target approach. Large pinning force density values (Fp ∼ 0.5 TNm−3 at 4.2 K, 9 T) have been observed for the YBCO film with moderate concentration of Y211 nanoinclusions (3.6 area % on ablation target). In addition, uniform enhancement in critical current density (Jc) was observed in the angular dependent Jc measurement of YBCO+Y211 nanocomposite films. Y211 nanoinclusions have been found to be very efficient in pinning the quantized vortices thereby enhancing the in-field Jc values over a wide range of temperature. Increasing the concentration of Y211 secondary phase into Y123 film matrix results into agglomeration of Y211 phase and observed as increased Y211 nanoparticle size. These larger secondary phase nanoparticles are not as efficient pinning centers at lower temperatures as they are at higher temperatures due to substantial reduction of the coherence length at lower temperatures. Investigation of the temperature dependence of Jc for YBCO+Y211 nanocomposite films has been conducted and possible vortex pinning mechanism in these nanocomposite films has been discussed.

CW mode-locked fiber laser by improved all-polarization-maintaining figure-9 cavity at 1064 nm

In order to realize broadband continuous wave (CW) mode locking by figure-9 fiber laser at 1064 nm, we propose an improved all-polarization-maintaining figure-9 cavity structure by adding gain fiber to both the loop and the linear arm in the laser. When the two sections of gain fiber are pumped simultaneously, the CW mode locking regime can be obtained. In this work, noise-like mode-locked pulses are generated with a central wavelength of 1064 nm and a chirped fiber grating (CFBG) is used for dispersion management. The net dispersion of the cavity is about 0.01 ps2 and the output power is 234 mW. The noise-like pulses are validated by autocorrelator, the peak duration on the autocorrelation trace pedestal is about 261 fs, and the pedestal duration is about 103 ps. Numerical simulations are performed on the noise-like pulses, which agree with the experimental results. This study has inspiration for mode-locked lasers with a central wavelength of 1064 nm, and has potential application value in fields such as supercontinuum generation, fiber sensing, laser microfabrication, and laser ablation.

Comparison of early changes in tear film protein profiles after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond LASIK (FS-LASIK) surgery

BackgroundSmall incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) are widely used surgical methods to correct myopia with comparable efficacy, predictability, and safety. We examined and compared the early changes of tear protein profiles after SMILE and FS-LASIK surgery in order to find possible differences in the initial corneal healing process.MethodsSMILE operations for 26 eyes were made with Visumax femtosecond laser. In FS-LASIK surgery for 30 eyes, the flaps were made with Ziemer FEMTO LDV Z6 femtosecond laser and stromal ablation with Wavelight EX500 excimer laser. Tear samples were collected preoperatively, and 1.5 h and 1 month postoperatively using glass microcapillary tubes. Tear protein identification and quantification were performed with sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra mass spectrometry (SWATH-MS).ResultsImmediately (1.5 h) after we found differences in 89 proteins after SMILE and in 123 after FS-LASIK operation compared to preoperative protein levels. Of these differentially expressed proteins, 48 proteins were common for both surgery types. There were, however, quantitative differences between SMILE and FS-LASIK. Upregulated proteins were mostly connected to inflammatory response and migration of the cells connected to immune system. One month after the operation protein expressions levels were returned to baseline levels with both surgical methods.ConclusionsOur study showed that immediate changes in protein profiles after SMILE and FS-LASIK surgeries and differences between the methods are connected to inflammatory process, and the protein levels quickly return to the baseline within 1 month. The differences in protein profiles between the methods are probably associated with the different size of the epithelial wound induced.

Nanostructured Coatings Based on Graphene Oxide for the Management of Periprosthetic Infections.

To modulate the bioactivity and boost the therapeutic outcome of implantable metallic devices, biodegradable coatings based on polylactide (PLA) and graphene oxide nanosheets (nGOs) loaded with Zinforo™ (Zin) have been proposed in this study as innovative alternatives for the local management of biofilm-associated periprosthetic infections. Using a modified Hummers protocol, high-purity and ultra-thin nGOs have been obtained, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations. The matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique has been successfully employed to obtain the PLA-nGO-Zin coatings. The stoichiometric and uniform transfer was revealed by infrared microscopy (IRM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. In vitro evaluation, performed on fresh blood samples, has shown the excellent hemocompatibility of PLA-nGO-Zin-coated samples (with a hemolytic index of 1.15%), together with their anti-inflammatory ability. Moreover, the PLA-nGO-Zin coatings significantly inhibited the development of mature bacterial biofilms, inducing important anti-biofilm efficiency in the as-coated samples. The herein-reported results evidence the promising potential of PLA-nGO-Zin coatings to be used for the biocompatible and antimicrobial surface modification of metallic implants.

Unveiling Fundamentals of Multi-Beam Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquids toward Scaling up Nanoparticle Production.

Pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLAL) is a versatile technique to produce high-purity colloidal nanoparticles. Despite considerable recent progress in increasing the productivity of the technique, there is still significant demand for a practical, cost-effective method for upscaling PLAL synthesis. Here we employ and unveil the fundamentals of multi-beam (MB) PLAL. The MB-PLAL upscaling approach can bypass the cavitation bubble, the main limiting factor of PLAL efficiency, by splitting the laser beam into several beams using static diffractive optical elements (DOEs). A multimetallic high-entropy alloy CrFeCoNiMn was used as a model material and the productivity of its nanoparticles in the MB-PLAL setup was investigated and compared with that in the standard single-beam PLAL. We demonstrate that the proposed multi-beam method helps to bypass the cavitation bubble both temporally (lower pulse repetition rates can be used while keeping the optimum processing fluence) and spatially (lower beam scanning speeds are needed) and thus dramatically increases the nanoparticle yield. Time-resolved imaging of the cavitation bubble was performed to correlate the observed production efficiencies with the bubble bypassing. The results suggest that nanoparticle PLAL productivity at the level of g/h can be achieved by the proposed multi-beam strategy using compact kW-class lasers and simple inexpensive scanning systems.

Incorporation of palladium into pyrite: Insights from X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis and modelling

Pyrite (FeS2) often accommodates elevated concentrations of platinum-group elements in ores of magmatic and hydrothermal origin. In order to elucidate the role of pyrite in concentrating Pd, Pd-doped synthetic crystals were studied via X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Crystals were obtained by salt-flux method in the system saturated with respect to Pd at the temperature of 580 °C and sulphur fugacity of log f (S2) = −0.4. Scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry studies demonstrated a uniform distribution of Pd within the pyrite crystals. The median and average values of Pd content of ∼0.7 ± 0.1 wt% were measured. Comparison of the Pd K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra with the spectra of standards revealed that the formal oxidation state of Pd was close to +2. Fitting of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and Finite Difference Method for Near-Edge Structure (FDMNES) theoretical simulations of XANES spectra showed that Pd substituted for Fe in the crystal structure of pyrite. The isomorphous Pd in pyrite was octahedrally coordinated by S atoms at ∼2.385 Å. The PdS interatomic distance was 5.6 % larger than that of FeS due to the difference in their covalent radii of ∼5.3 %. The expansion caused by the incorporation of Pd into the pyrite structure disappeared at the distance of R > 3 Å. The information on the state of Pd in pyrite, including the local atomic environment and formal oxidation state, is essential for scientific and industrial purposes, e.g. physical-chemical modelling and improvement of leaching and extraction processing respectively.

Ternary composite WS2/GO/Au synthesized from laser ablation and hydrothermal method for photo- and electro-chemical degradation of methylene blue dye

Photocatalysts based on two-dimensional (2D) material with full optical absorption in the visible region have gained a lot of interest as a potential method for the degradation of pollutants, but there are very few single materials that can fulfill this requirement. In this research, we are suggesting the formation of WS2/GO/Au ternary composite prepared by WS2 and GO using nanosecond laser ablation followed by adding Au using the hydrothermal method. Ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis), Raman, x-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopies, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) were used to investigate the microstructure, morphology, and spectroscopic properties of the samples that had been produced. The UV–Vis spectra suggest the formation of a ternary composite, and FE-SEM shows morphology as Au nanoparticles with a size ranging from 20 to 30 nm are perfectly mixed with WS2 nanosheets, which can be seen on GO sheets. SEM-Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopic (EDS) images indicate the availability of all elements in prepared samples and the formation of a ternary composite of WS2/GO/Au. XRD and Raman spectroscopy confirm the crystalline nature of AuNPs and WS2 and suggest the transformation of GO into rGO. The prepared pristine (WS2), binary (WS2/GO), and ternary composite show the capability for methylene blue degradation under UV-light irradiation as 41.85 %, 48.26 %, and 83.17 %, while electrocatalytic degradation gives 99 % for WS2/GO/Au respectively. The improved photocatalytic activity by the multicomponent has been demonstrated by nanostructured catalysts with specific morphology due to their exceptional electron transport characteristics. The WS2/GO/Au composite is anticipated to be an encouraging photoelectric material for experimental study in the research area of photocatalysis.

Deep learning-assisted 3D laser steering using an optofluidic laser scanner.

Laser ablation is an effective treatment modality. However, current laser scanners suffer from laser defocusing when scanning targets at different depths in a 3D surgical scene. This study proposes a deep learning-assisted 3D laser steering strategy for minimally invasive surgery that eliminates laser defocusing, increases working distance, and extends scanning range. An optofluidic laser scanner is developed to conduct 3D laser steering. The optofluidic laser scanner has no mechanical moving components, enabling miniature size, lightweight, and low driving voltage. A deep learning-based monocular depth estimation method provides real-time target depth estimation so that the focal length of the laser scanner can be adjusted for laser focusing. Simulations and experiments indicate that the proposed method can significantly increase the working distance and maintain laser focusing while performing 2D laser steering, demonstrating the potential for application in minimally invasive surgery.