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Applicability of Femtosecond Lasers in the Cross-section Sampling of Works of Art

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2017

Stephanie Spence ,
Takaaki Harada ,
Athanasios Margiolakis ,
Skylar Deckoff-Jones ,
Aaron N. Shugar ,
James F. Hamm ,
Keshav M. Dani  and
Anya R. Dani
Stephanie Spence
Affiliation:
Art Conservation Program, Science and Technology Group, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami, Okinawa904-495, Japan Art Conservation Program, Buffalo State College, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY14222, U.S.A.
Takaaki Harada
Affiliation:
Femtosecond Spectroscopy Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami, Okinawa904-495, Japan
Athanasios Margiolakis
Affiliation:
Femtosecond Spectroscopy Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami, Okinawa904-495, Japan
Skylar Deckoff-Jones
Affiliation:
Femtosecond Spectroscopy Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami, Okinawa904-495, Japan
Aaron N. Shugar
Affiliation:
Art Conservation Program, Buffalo State College, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY14222, U.S.A.
James F. Hamm
Affiliation:
Art Conservation Program, Buffalo State College, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY14222, U.S.A.
Keshav M. Dani*
Affiliation:
Femtosecond Spectroscopy Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami, Okinawa904-495, Japan
Anya R. Dani*
Affiliation:
Art Conservation Program, Science and Technology Group, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami, Okinawa904-495, Japan
*
* Correspondence: anya.dani@oist.jp; Tel.: +81-98-966-1649
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Abstract

Issues in traditional cross-section sampling of paintings and other cultural artifacts with a scalpel, such as crumbling, delamination and paint compression, can deter conservators from sampling fragile paint layers. Often, such sampling carries the risk of causing further damage from a scalpel, which outweighs the benefits of scientific investigation. Here, we show that femtosecond lasers offer a viable alternative to obtaining cross-sections with minimal damage to the surrounding artwork. A Regenerative Ti:Sapphire amplifier system with a pulse duration of 70 femtoseconds, a few milliwatts of average power and a repetition rate of 1 kHz (1000 pulses/sec) was used for the study. Tests were performed on oil paintings ranging in age from the 19th century to late 20th century. Effective settings were determined to be 2 mW of power at a speed of 10mm/sec using an 800nm laser. Preliminary results suggest femtosecond lasers could be a viable alternative for obtaining paint cross-sections when traditional sampling methods cause unnecessary damage to fragile materials.

Keywords

artlaserablation
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Advances , Volume 2 , Issue 33-34: Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology XI , 2017 , pp. 1801 - 1804
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2017 

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Footnotes

‡

These authors contributed equally to this work.

References

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