LSO Workshop: Nonlinear Processes in Threshold Damage to Tissues Relevant to Laser Safety

The presentation examines the mechanisms of tissue damage arising from nonlinear physical and optical processes. By outlining these nonlinear effects, it highlights how they shape the observed trends in tissue‑damage thresholds across varying pulse durations and wavelengths. This framework equips the audience with a deeper understanding of how laser maximum permissible exposure limits evolve and highlights areas that require heightened vigilance as advanced laser‑system capabilities continue to expand.

Benjamin Rockwell serves as a consulting scientist and lecturer for RLI. He graduated in 1986 with a B.S. in Physics from Central Missouri State University and was awarded his Ph.D. in 1991 from the University of Missouri at Columbia. He recently retired after 30+ years from the Optical Radiation Division of the Air Force Armstrong Laboratory, where he conducted research specializing in the bioeffects of ultrashort laser pulse interactions. Ben is a fellow of SPIE, the Laser Institute and AFRL and is currently vice chair of the ANSI Z136 standards development committee and several associated subcommittees.