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

Summary: Stained-glass windows are an important part of cultural heritage, and short pulse lasers offer new opportunities for safe decontamination. In this study, the interaction of sub-nanosecond and femtosecond pulsed lasers with stained-glass was analyzed for the first time, exploring their applicability in safely cleaning stained-glass windows. The results show that damage can be induced in these materials using energy levels below damage thresholds, and two alternative irradiation procedures are proposed to control the temperature increase and apply safe cleaning protocols.