Excimer lasers

Anthony D. Ayers <raphaelmad<-a t->aol< . >com> writes

>Recently I read a very brief article (which unfortunately I can not
>find to reference) about the use of excimer lasers for the removal
>of overpaint in conservation.  Two questions arise; 1.  how safe is
>this method and 2. if it is safe, where might one find a qualified
>practicioner.

Dr. Costas Fotakis has a vast knowledge in the use of excimer lasers
in art conservation. Dr. Fotakis works at FORTH (Foundation for
Research and Technology - Hellas), a large laser research center in
Crete.  They have developed excimer laser-cleaning of paintings,
coupled with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and
laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) used as a feedback loop to monitor
the cleaning process at the micron level.  He gave a poster about
excimer lasers in conservation at the 1993 ICOM conference in
Washington (see vol. II p. 900).  William A. Real of the Carnegie
Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, and Zergioti, Spetsidou and Anglos, 3
researchers from this FORTH center, gave a joint talk at the 1996
ICOM conference in Edinburgh: "Use of KrF Excimer Laser for
Cleaning Fragile and Problematic Paint Surfaces"; see vol. I p. 303.
Researchers from the FORTH center presented several papers at the
1995 1st LACONA conference (LAsers in the CONservation of
Artworks)--postprints are still not out yet--and are scheduled to
present a few more at the IInd LACONA conference in Liverpool this
April.

    Dr. Costas Fotakis
    Foundation for Research and Technology--Hellas
    P.O. Box 1527
    711 10 Heraklion, Crete
    Greece
    fotakis<-a t->iesl< . >forth< . >gr

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:77
                   Distributed: Monday, March 3, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-10-77-001
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