Enhanced Deep Bone Ablation in Laser Osteotomy Impact of Laser Beam Intensity Profile

Enhanced Deep Bone Ablation in Laser Osteotomy Impact of Laser Beam Intensity Profile | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Enhanced Deep Bone Ablation in Laser Osteotomy Impact of Laser Beam Intensity Profile Mingyi Liu, Arsham Hamidi, Dunia Blaser, Darren Wilson, Kenneth Garcia, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7879768/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Feb, 2026 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Laser osteotomy offers high precision and contact-free bone cutting but remains limited by slower cutting speeds and shallower ablation depths compared to mechanical tools. In this study, we systematically investigated the influence of spatial beam intensity distribution on bone ablation performance by comparing two Er:YAG lasers with Gaussian and tophat profiles under identical operating conditions. Using bovine femur cortical bone and optimized water–air cooling, the tophat intensity distribution achieved a maximum ablation depth of 44.51 mm and a maximum average material removal rate of 0.42 mm3/s, outperforming the Gaussian intensity distribution (26.52 mm, 0.24 mm3/s). In dry surface ablation, the tophat profile reached 1.58 mm3/s±0.04 mm3/s, though with increased carbonization. Compared to previously reported Er:YAG outcomes under optimized ablation conditions, the cutting depth achieved in this work represents more than a twofold improvement, bringing performance close to the planar cut dimensions required during distal femur resurfacing of a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). SEM and Raman analyses confirmed minimal compositional change after laser ablation, indicating minimal thermal damage. These findings demonstrate clear exvivo improvements by using a tophat profile in Er:YAG systems, which have the potential for clinical adoption. Physical sciences/Engineering Health sciences/Medical research Physical sciences/Optics and photonics laser-tissue interactions laser ablation tophat intensity distribution Gaussian intensity distribution Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Feb, 2026 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 09 Dec, 2025 Reviews received at journal 08 Dec, 2025 Reviews received at journal 02 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 01 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 Nov, 2025 Reviews received at journal 24 Nov, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 12 Nov, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Nov, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 10 Nov, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 05 Nov, 2025 Editor invited by journal 22 Oct, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 19 Oct, 2025 First submitted to journal 19 Oct, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7879768","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":543790598,"identity":"58079f4b-58a2-4a48-babb-e2bb8217e632","order_by":0,"name":"Mingyi Liu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Basel","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mingyi","middleName":"","lastName":"Liu","suffix":""},{"id":543790599,"identity":"b27f5678-8d32-4776-baee-13bbe5952d32","order_by":1,"name":"Arsham Hamidi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Basel","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Arsham","middleName":"","lastName":"Hamidi","suffix":""},{"id":543790600,"identity":"43e7f7df-fbd5-4a40-ad82-6566fd36162f","order_by":2,"name":"Dunia Blaser","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Basel","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Dunia","middleName":"","lastName":"Blaser","suffix":""},{"id":543790601,"identity":"132a1a20-c551-48ad-9d5d-cb968c9cb0af","order_by":3,"name":"Darren Wilson","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Smith \u0026 Nephew (United Kingdom)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Darren","middleName":"","lastName":"Wilson","suffix":""},{"id":543790602,"identity":"cfbafb72-dc08-4c7e-8f86-f2b00de7a753","order_by":4,"name":"Kenneth Garcia","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Smith \u0026 Nephew (Switzerland)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kenneth","middleName":"","lastName":"Garcia","suffix":""},{"id":543790603,"identity":"7d6deed1-2c12-403f-b8fc-a37d25e6e4a7","order_by":5,"name":"Niklaus F. Friederich","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Basel","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Niklaus","middleName":"F.","lastName":"Friederich","suffix":""},{"id":543790604,"identity":"24f1942c-9cad-46f6-a13b-10460c99bb7c","order_by":6,"name":"Georg Rauter","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Basel","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Georg","middleName":"","lastName":"Rauter","suffix":""},{"id":543790605,"identity":"71f70163-d0ca-4715-b333-d46d5ca4b4bd","order_by":7,"name":"Philippe C. Cattin","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Basel","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Philippe","middleName":"C.","lastName":"Cattin","suffix":""},{"id":543790606,"identity":"186b059b-89e8-4e28-9a40-edcd2b0c71e9","order_by":8,"name":"Ferda Canbaz","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA9UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBAC9gYGBgkwC0R+YGDgMQBxGBtwa+E5gKSFcQbJWph5gDRhLey9D2/8YLCTN5dufvzZtu2OjDn78QcMP3fg0cJz3NiyhyHZcOecYwbGuW3PeCx7cgwYe8/g1mIvkcYmwcNwgHHDjQSD5Ny2wzwGB3IYmBnb8Ngi/4xN8g/DAfsNN9I/HLYEaTn//AF+LRJsbNJAWxI33MgxbGYEaQFah18LTxqztYxBcvKGO2eKGXvOHeaxnPHG4GAvPi3sxxhvvqmws91wu33zhx9lh+3N+dMfPviJRwsEGKDxDxDSMApGwSgYBaMAPwAAf3FPzCsUydgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"University of Basel","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ferda","middleName":"","lastName":"Canbaz","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-10-16 16:38:19","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7879768/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7879768/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37117-6","type":"published","date":"2026-02-03T15:59:39+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":96407859,"identity":"35bc0c55-d009-4e6d-a3c8-3539ac2f8d57","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-20 17:49:00","extension":"json","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":10708,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"561c3087a7d34160b54076e2d1793770.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7879768/v1/57ebb66c067b79b1b03937cb.json"},{"id":102235234,"identity":"0923530f-8528-4c53-b922-804cea628f6a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-09 16:16:02","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":10981959,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"EnhancedDeepBoneAblationinLaserOsteotomyImpactofLaserBeamIntensityProfile.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7879768/v1_covered_10d8c7c5-a927-46d8-a2e1-9e4254df49f7.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Enhanced Deep Bone Ablation in Laser Osteotomy Impact of Laser Beam Intensity Profile","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"laser-tissue interactions, laser ablation, tophat intensity distribution, Gaussian intensity distribution","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7879768/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7879768/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Laser osteotomy offers high precision and contact-free bone cutting but remains limited by slower cutting speeds and shallower ablation depths compared to mechanical tools. In this study, we systematically investigated the influence of spatial beam intensity distribution on bone ablation performance by comparing two Er:YAG lasers with Gaussian and tophat profiles under identical operating conditions. Using bovine femur cortical bone and optimized water–air cooling, the tophat intensity distribution achieved a maximum ablation depth of 44.51 mm and a maximum average material removal rate of 0.42 mm3/s, outperforming the Gaussian intensity distribution (26.52 mm, 0.24 mm3/s). In dry surface ablation, the tophat profile reached 1.58 mm3/s±0.04 mm3/s, though with increased carbonization. Compared to previously reported Er:YAG outcomes under optimized ablation conditions, the cutting depth achieved in this work represents more than a twofold improvement, bringing performance close to the planar cut dimensions required during distal femur resurfacing of a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). SEM and Raman analyses confirmed minimal compositional change after laser ablation, indicating minimal thermal damage. These findings demonstrate clear exvivo improvements by using a tophat profile in Er:YAG systems, which have the potential for clinical adoption.","manuscriptTitle":"Enhanced Deep Bone Ablation in Laser Osteotomy Impact of Laser Beam Intensity Profile","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-11-20 17:48:55","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7879768/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-12-09T15:13:00+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-12-08T07:32:21+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-12-02T16:21:56+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"253600201904214210586677693462902093657","date":"2025-12-01T07:19:03+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"168901532954439054988981533515596542041","date":"2025-11-29T15:05:27+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-11-24T10:53:32+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"70676373205668455834179319229108025941","date":"2025-11-12T08:37:57+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"316222436891342844377103478472963430427","date":"2025-11-11T10:37:24+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-11-10T16:16:29+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-11-06T03:32:40+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-10-22T19:12:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-10-19T15:09:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Scientific Reports","date":"2025-10-19T15:07:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"5e2c65a1-8a50-4e77-8cdc-ca096a66b4c1","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 20th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[{"id":57854352,"name":"Physical sciences/Engineering"},{"id":57854353,"name":"Health sciences/Medical research"},{"id":57854354,"name":"Physical sciences/Optics and photonics"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-09T16:12:02+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7879768","link":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37117-6","journal":{"identity":"scientific-reports","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Scientific Reports"},"publishedOn":"2026-02-03 15:59:39","publishedOnDateReadable":"February 3rd, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-11-20 17:48:55","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1038/s41598-026-37117-6","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37117-6","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7879768","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7879768","identity":"rs-7879768","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}