The paper presents the results of research investigating the possibility of applying laser cleaning for controlled layer-by-layer removal of iron corrosion from gilded silver foil on a medieval nomad’s belt pad. Lasers irradiated at the wavelengths of 355, 532, 1064 nm, 2.97, 10.6 μm were tested. A comparison of pulse durations of 100 μs, 100, 8, 6 ns, 75 ps, 100 fs were conducted. Corrosion samples were irradiated in various media: air, argon atmosphere, water, ethanol, engine oil, glycerin. In all of these cases removing of material occurred, but it was accompanied by surface blackening due the burnt organics and to thermal transformation of the goethite and lepidocrocite into magnetite. The best results from the point of view of achieving delicate cleaning and minimal conversion of goethite to magnetite were obtained by the Ti:Sa laser with a 100 fs pulse duration.

Translated title of the contributionЛазерная очистка археологических предметов из железа с инкрустациями.
Original languageEnglish
Article number113
Number of pages12
JournalOptical and Quantum Electronics
Volume52
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Feb 2020

    Research areas

  • Ablation, Archaeology, Femtosecond pulses, Iron corrosion, Laser cleaning, METALS, ABLATION, OXIDES

    Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

ID: 51731898