Ultrashort pulsed Femtosecond UV laser for selective cleaning of significant Cretaceous flints

This work reports on studies aimed to evaluate the utilization of ultrashort 238 fs (fs) pulsed UV laser emission at 343 nm for eliminating colored crusts and surface deposits on significant Cretaceous flint surfaces, in an attempt to safeguard its aesthetic appearance and archaeological value. The results indicate that fs UV lasers may be an ideal, non-contact tool for selective surface cleaning of sensitive archaeological artefacts, since they enable contaminant desorption while avoiding photothermal damage.
Project supported by H2020-MSCA-ITN-EJD/ED-ARCHMAT funding under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions grant agreement, No. 766311 and by Gobierno de Aragón (research group T54_20R).