Paper
12 August 2005 Laser techniques in conservation in Europe
Author Affiliations +
Abstract
The state of the art of laser techniques employed in conservation of cultural heritage is continuously growing in Europe. Many research projects organised at the European level have contributed to this achievement, being complementary to the development carried out at national level. The COST Action G7 is playing its unique role since the year 2000 in promoting the experimentation, comparing the experiences and disseminating best practices. This role has been particularly effective for monitoring of the results of many short-term research projects completed along the G7 Action lifetime. After that several laser cleaning techniques have been followed and evaluated it appears now clear an evolution of the systems, a specialization of the cleaning task, the achievement of side-effect free procedures. The validation of these advanced cleaning techniques has been extensive and diffused in many European countries, especially for stone and metals. Laser-based diagnostics have also specialised their tasks toward material analysis, defects detection and multidimensional documentation. Laser and optical methods successfully monitor deterioration effects. In many European countries interdisciplinary networks are managing the experimentation of these techniques giving them a sound scientific approach, but also a technology transfer to end-users. So doing the appreciation for these techniques is growing in all the conservation institutions involved at national level, disseminating a positive evaluation about the benefits provided by laser techniques in conservation. Several laser systems became products for the activity of professional restorers and their increasing sales demonstrate a growing utilisation throughout all Europe.
© (2005) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Renzo Salimbeni "Laser techniques in conservation in Europe", Proc. SPIE 5857, Optical Methods for Arts and Archaeology, 585702 (12 August 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.618829
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KEYWORDS
Laser systems engineering

Diagnostics

Laser development

Metals

Nd:YAG lasers

Q switching

Q switched lasers

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