Pulsed laser cleaning: comparing science with art and cultural heritage applications

Abstract

Laser cleaning research at Macquarie University has concentrated on a "hard science" approach to research and development of processes for optics and microphotonics applications (removing contaminants from optical materials). In more recent times we have carried out pulsed laser cleaning and processing studies for conservation of articles from Indigenous Australian cultural heritage. This paper introduces our research on laser cleaning of optical materials using UV pulsed lasers, and related surface modification and laser processing outcomes. It then introduces and reports some results from the laser conservation studies along with discussion of how activity in these two contrasting areas have informed our approach to the laser conservation studies, and vice versa.