Interaction of femtosecond laser pulses with tempera paints

For the implementation of femtosecond (fs) laser cleaning methodologies of light-sensitive substrates as those encountered in artistic paintings, the interaction between fs laser pulses and painting components has to be well characterized. In this work, the modifications induced by fs laser irradiation of paints are examined in unvarnished aged model temperas. Irradiation at fluences below or above the ablation thresholds by 120 fs pulses at 795 nm from a Ti:Sapphire laser of unpigmented and traditional artist's pigment temperas (cinnabar and chrome yellow) is shown to result in various degrees of discolouration and changes of the laser-induced fluorescence signal. Fourier transform FT-Raman (at 1064 nm) and micro-Raman (at 785 nm) spectroscopic measurements were carried out to assess the changes induced. Noticeable modifications of the Raman bands of the pigments are absent while build-up of extra bands of amorphous carbon (indicative of carbonization or charring) does not take place, in contrast with previous observations upon irradiation with 248 nm, 25 ns pulses. It is concluded that IR fs irradiation provides a high degree of control over the induced modifications, a feature of interest in the design of new laser restoration schemes.