The paper [Optica 8, 1559 (2021) [CrossRef] ] is devoted to probing neuronal functions by targeted cell ablation in living cortex. It demonstrates the advantage of cell ablation by single high-energy pulses from an amplified femtosecond (fs) laser system, which leaves adjacent structures intact. The single-pulse effects rely on mechanical disruption by laser-induced microcavitation, which goes along with a lack of diffusive collateral damage. In comparison, cell damage by low-energy pulses from fs laser oscillators is shown to be associated with a damage zone with tens of micrometer radius around the targeted cell. The collateral damage is attributed to heat accumulation and diffusion. We demonstrate through numerical simulations of plasma formation and temperature evolution for the experimentally employed irradiation conditions that a large number of free electrons is produced but the temperature rise at focus is only 0.3 K. Therefore, the damage is caused by nonlinear photochemistry and plasma-mediated chemical effects rather than by thermal effects.

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用精确和有针对性的激光消融在活皮层探测神经元功能：评论

论文 [Optica 8 , 1559 (2021) [CrossRef] ] 致力于通过在活皮层中进行靶向细胞消融来探索神经元功能。它展示了通过来自放大飞秒 (fs) 激光系统的单个高能脉冲进行细胞消融的优势，从而使相邻结构保持完整。单脉冲效应依赖于激光诱导的微空化造成的机械破坏，同时缺乏扩散性附带损伤。相比之下，fs 激光振荡器的低能脉冲造成的细胞损伤与靶细胞周围数十微米半径的损伤区域有关。附带损害归因于热量积累和扩散。