This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 10014 including the Title Page and Copyright information

A comprehensive study of laser-induced damage associated with particulate damage on optical surfaces is presented. Contaminant-driven damage on silica windows and multilayer dielectrics is observed to range from shallow pitting to more classical fracture-type damage, depending on particle-substrate material combination, as well as laser pulse characteristics. Ejection dynamics is studied in terms of plasma emission spectroscopy and pump-probe shadowgraphy. Our data is used to assess the momentum coupling between incident energy and the ejected plasma, which dominates the laser-particle-substrate interaction. Beam propagation analysis is also presented to characterize the impact of contaminant-driven surface pitting on optical performance.

Nanosecond duration, high intensity and high average power laser pulses induce damage on uncoated optics, due to localized field enhancement at the exit surface of the components. Anti-reflection (AR) coated optics, due to their (multiple) thin film boundaries, have similar field enhancement regions, which lead to laser damage on both entry and exit sides. Nano-scale structured optical interfaces with AR performance (ARSS) have been widely demonstrated, and found to have higher laser damage resistance than conventional AR coatings. Comprehensive tests of optical entry and exit structured-surface laser damage using nanosecond pulses for ARSS are not widely available. We measured the laser damage of random anti-reflective surface structures (rARSS), on planar, optical quality, fused silica substrates, using single 6-8ns duration pulses at 1064 nm wavelength. The single-sided rARSS substrates were optimized for Fresnel reflectance suppression at 1064 nm, and the measured transmittance at normal incidence was increased by 3.2%, with a possible theoretical maximum of 3.5%. The high energy laser beam was focused to increase the incident intensity, in order to probe values above and below the damage thresholds reported in the literature. The source laser Q-switch durations were used to directly control incident fluence. Multiple locations were tested for each Q-switch setting, to build a statistical relationship between the fluence and damaging events. Single-sided, AR random surface structured substrates were tested, using entry and exit side orientations, to determine any effects the random structures may have in the damage induced by the field enhancement on the exit side. We found that the AR randomly structured surfaces have a higher resistance, to the onset of laser damage, when they are located at the entry (structured) side of the substrates. In comparison, when the same AR random structures are in the beam exit side of the substrates, the onset of laser damage occurs at lower fluence values. All tests resulting in damage of the optical-quality polished fused silica substrates, and those with the structures on the exit side of the samples, are ballistic in nature, showing surface cracks and outward-directed debris craters, all occurring at the beam exit facet. Of interest are the results from tests completed with the rARSS located on the beam entry side; the damage caused by these tests was not typically ballistic in nature (inward directed craters) and occurred on the structured side of the samples.

Effects of deep wet etching on the surface quality and the laser induced damage probability have been studied on fused silica samples. Results obtained with a HF/HNO₃ solution and a KOH solution were compared on both polished pristine surface and scratched surfaces. The hydrofluoric solution radically deteriorated the surface quality creating a haze on the whole surface and increasing considerably the roughness. For both solutions, neither improvement nor deterioration of the laser damage performances has been observed on the etched surfaces while the laser damage resistance of scratches has been increased to the level of the surface. We conclude that laser damage performances are equivalent with both solutions but an acid etching induces surface degradation that is not experienced with basic etching.

We study the formation of laser-induced Hertzian fractures on silica output surfaces at high incident influences initiated by surface bound metal particles. Hertzian fracture initiation probability as a function of incidence influence is obtained for two particle materials. The resulting modified damage density curve shows prototypical features determined by the surface-bound particles population. The data is further used to calculate the coupling coefficient between incident energy and the ejected plasma momentum.

In the context of high power laser systems, the laser damage resistance of fused silica surfaces at 351 nm in the nanosecond regime is a major concern. Under successive nanosecond laser irradiations, an initiated damage can grow which can make the component unsuitable. The localized CO₂ laser processing has demonstrated its ability to mitigate (stopping) laser damage growth. In order to mitigate large damage sites (millimetric), a method based on fast microablation of silica has been proposed by Bass et al. [Bass et al., Proc. SPIE 7842, 784220 (2010)]. This is accomplished by scanning of the CO₂ laser spot with a fast galvanometer beam scanner to form a crater with a typical conical shape. The objective of the present work is to develop a similar fast micro-ablation process for application to the Laser MegaJoule optical components. We present in this paper the developed experimental system and process. We describe also the characterization tools used in this study for shape measurements which are critical for the application. Experimental and numerical studies of the downstream intensifications, resulting of cone formation on the fused silica surface, are presented. The experimental results are compared to numerical simulations for different crater shape in order to find optimal process conditions to minimize the intensifications in the LMJ configuration. We show the laser damage test experimental conditions and procedures to evaluate the laser damage resistance of the mitigated sites and discuss the efficiency of the process for our application.

The Aladin instrument will fly on the European Space Agency’s ADM Aeolus satellite. The instrument is a Doppler wind LIDAR, primarily designed to measure global wind profiles to improve the accuracy of numerical weather prediction models. At the heart of the instrument is a frequency stabilized 355nm laser which will emit approximately 100mJ of energy in the form of 20ns pulses with a fluence around 1Jcm^-2. The pulse repetition frequency is 50Hz meaning that Aladin will eventually have to accumulate 5Gshots over its 3 years planned lifetime in orbit. Due to anomalies that have occurred on previous spaceborne lasers, as well as a number of failures that we have observed in previous tests, an extensive development and verification campaign was undertaken in order to ensure that the Aladin instrument is robust enough to survive the mission. In this paper, we shall report the logic and the results of this verification campaign.

Laser-induced damage of high reflection (HR) coatings, working at near ultraviolet (NUV) and near infrared (NIR) regions was investigated. For NIR HR coatings, the nodules still remain the most limiting defects. The E-field intensity (EFI) enhancement in nodules plays a central role for triggering laser-induced damage. We established a simple model for EFI enhancement in nodules using the focusing and light penetrating concept. With the help of finite-difference time domain (FDTD) simulations, we found that refractive indices and nodular geometries affected the focal length as well as the size of focal spots. Furthermore, the angular reflection bandwidth (ARB) of nodules determined the fraction of light that can penetrate to the focal region. For NUV HR coatings, we explored the increase of the laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) by increasing the incident angle from 0 degrees to 65 degrees for S-polarization. The EFI in a 65 degree HR coating is more than 4 times lower compared to 0 degree HR coatings, which suggests that the LIDT of 65 degree HR coating is much higher compared to 0 degree HR coating. However, we found some contradictory results. For small testing laser beam size with a diameter of 20 μm, the LIDT of 65 degree HR coating is 3.5 times higher compared to a 0 degree HR coating. However, for a large sized testing laser beam with a diameter of 1000 μm, the LIDT of 65 degree HR coating is 2 times lower compared to a 0 degree HR coating. Possible reasons for the observed damage phenomena are discussed.

Increased laser durability is realized by F-SiO₂ protected coatings on CaF₂ with subsurface-damage-free surface finishing. Surface reflection loss is reduced by fluoride-based antireflection coatings. The F-SiO₂ protective coating approach can be extended to the fluoride-based AR coatings on subsurface-damage-free CaF₂ optics. In this contribution, a laser-induced damage test was performed on an F-SiO₂ protected fluoride-based AR coating on a subsurface-damage-free (SSD-free) CaF₂ window with an ArF laser. Similar laser damage resistance was realized on the protected AR coated optics with more than 9% transmission gain when compared to that of the F-SiO₂ coated.

The scientific background in the field of the laser induced damage processes in optical coatings has been significantly extended during the last decades. Especially for the ultra-short pulse regime a clear correlation between the electronic material parameters and the laser damage threshold could be demonstrated. In the present study, the quantization in nanolaminates is investigated to gain a deeper insight into the behavior of the blue shift of the bandgap in specific coating materials as well as to find approximations for the effective mass of the electrons. The theoretical predictions are correlated to the measurements.

Laser-induced damage mechanisms were investigated for an ultra-broadband chirped mirror, as part of a systematic study of few-cycle pulse laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of widely-used ultra-broadband optics, in vacuum and in air, for single and multi-pulse regimes (S-on-1). Microscopic analysis of damage morphology suggests that three different damage mechanisms occur across the fluence range 0.15-0.4J/cm², while no ablation was yet observed. The three regimes resulted in shallow swelling (< 10 nm tall), tall blistering (~ 150 nm tall), and annular blistering (damage suppressed at highest intensity, forming a ring shape). Descriptions of the potential mechanisms are discussed.

This broadband, low dispersion mirror damage competition is a continuation of last year's test with 150 ps pulse length results published in 2015 and 40 fs pulse length results in this study. This competition allows a direct laser resistance comparison between pulse durations because the samples were laser damage tested under identical conditions. The requirements of the coatings are a minimum reflection of 99.5% at 45 degrees incidence angle at "P" polarization with a Group Delay Dispersion (GDD) of < ± 100 fs² over a spectral range of 773 nm ± 50 nm. The choice of coating materials, design, and deposition method were left to the participant. Laser damage testing was performed using the raster scan method with a 40 fs pulse length on a single testing facility to enable a direct comparison among the participants. GDD measurements were performed to validate specification compliance. A double blind test assured sample and submitter anonymity. In addition to the laser resistance results and GDD measurements, details of the deposition processes, cleaning method, coating materials and layer count are also shared.

In over 100 years of quartz glass fabrication, the applications and the optical requirements for this type of optical material have significantly changed. Applications like spectroscopy, UV flash lamps, the Apollo missions as well as the growth in UV and IR applications have directed quartz glass development towards new products, technologies or methods of measurement. The boundaries of the original measurement methods have been achieved and more sensitive measurements with precise resolution for transmission, purity, radiation resistance, absorption, thermal and mechanical stability as well as optical properties like homogeneity, stress birefringence, striae and bubbles/inclusions had to be found. This article will provide an overview of the development of measuring methods of quartz glass, discuss their limits and accuracy and point out the parameters which are of high relevance for today's laser applications.

Transparent conducting films with superior laser damage performance have drawn intense interests toward optoelectronic applications under high energy density environment. In order to make optoelectronic applications with high laser damage performance, a fundamental understanding of damage mechanisms of conducting films is crucial. In this study, we performed laser damage experiments on tin-doped indium oxide films (ITO, Bandgap = 4.0 eV) using a nanosecond (ns) pulse laser (1064 nm) and investigated the underlying physical damage mechanisms. Single ns laser pulse irradiation on ITO films resulted in common thermal degradation features such as melting and evaporation although the laser photon energy (1.03 eV, 1064 nm) was smaller than the bandgap. Dominant laser energy absorption of the ITO film is attributed to free carriers due to degenerate doping. Upon multi-pulse irradiation on the film, damage initiation and growth were observed at lower laser influences, where no apparent damage was formed upon single pulse, suggesting a laser-induced incubation effect.

Previous works proved that laser conditioning process was able to improve laser induced damage thresholds (LIDTs) in the bulk of KDP/DKDP crystals. In this paper, it's also demonstrated that laser conditioning process was an effective method to improve LIDTs at their surface. The variation of scattering defects and absorption in the bulk of DKDP crystals during laser pre-exposure was investigated by combining light scattering technique and on-line transmittance measurement technique. Laser-induced disappearance of scattering defects and decrease of absorption revealed the mitigation process of laser damage initiators in the bulk of KDP/DKDP crystals. At the surface of KDP/DKDP crystals, most of damage initiators were the invisible defects. Laser conditioning process could mitigate the invisible defects, but it's hard to mitigate the indentation with fractures. Therefore, it's admitted that laser conditioning process could help to improve the optical properties of crystal material, but it's hard to improve the properties of optical finishing.

Development of state-of-the-art high-power laser systems requires accurate information about the damage resistance of critical optical components. Since damage threshold fluence decreases significantly with decreasing pulse length, highpower systems based on chirped-pulse amplification are usually limited by the damage threshold of the components utilized for the final pulse compression and transport of the compressed beams. Sub-picosecond laser damage is a complex process involving various nonlinear photoionization and relaxation mechanisms, and no current theory can reliably predict damage threshold values for arbitrary combinations of laser parameters, optical coating properties, and ambient conditions. To evaluate the damage resistance of candidate high-reflectivity coatings for the distribution of compressed PW and multi-PW pulses within experimental areas of the ELI beamlines facility, a series of laser damage tests in high vacuum were conducted. In this work, we present threshold values for high-reflectance (HR) dielectric coatings tested according to different protocols in conditions specific to their operation. We compare results acquired using S-on-1, R-on-1, and Raster Scan routines for several samples and discuss their accuracy.

Pulsed laser ablation of Al and Ti with a < 3.3 J/cm² KrF laser and Ar background pressure of up to 1 Torr was performed to study the ablated plume. Mass loss experiments revealed the number of ablated atoms per pulse increases by ~30% for Ti and ~20% for Al as pressure decreases from 1 Torr to vacuum. Optical emission imaging performed using a gated ICCD revealed a strong dependence of shock front parameters, defined by the Sedov-Taylor blast and classical drag models, on background pressure. Spatially resolved optical emission spectroscopy from Al I, Al II, Ti I, and Ti II revealed ion temperatures of 10⁴ K that decreased away from the target surface along the surface normal and neutral temperatures of 10³ K independent of target distance. Comparison between kinetic energy in the shock and internal excitation energy reveals that nearly 100% of the energy is partitioned into shock front kinetic energy and ~1% into internal excitation.

Fused silica based optical fibers are broadly used for beam delivery in laser technology, mostly for continuous lasers. However, powerful pulsed beams are still very challenging for optical fiber technology; in particular in the field of pulsed lasers providing ns-length pulses or shorter at high repetition rate. According to the current knowledge, laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) of optical fiber surfaces does not achieve values generally represented for properly treated fused silica. Therefore, broader testing and understanding of optical fibers surface laser induced damage threshold and influencing factors is a key in utilization of optical fibers in pulsed lasers.

The Z-Backlighter Laser Facility at Sandia National Laboratories was developed to enable high energy density physics experiments in conjunction with the Z Pulsed Power Facility at Sandia National Laboratories, with an emphasis on backlighting. Since the first laser system there became operational in 2001, the facility has continually evolved to add new capability and new missions. The facility currently has several high energy laser systems including the nanosecond/multi-kilojoule Z-Beamlet Laser (ZBL), the sub-picosecond/kilojoule- class Z-Petawatt (ZPW) Laser, and the smaller nanosecond/100 J-class Chaco laser. In addition to these, the backlighting mission requires a regular stream of coated consumable optics such as debris shields and vacuum windows, which led to the development of the Sandia Optics Support Facility to support the unique high damage threshold optical coating needs described.

The original damage ring pattern at the exit surface of fused silica induced by highly modulated nanosecond infrared laser pulses demonstrates the time dependence of damage morphology. Such a damage structure is used to study the dynamics of the plasma issued from open cracks. This pattern originates from electron avalanche in this plasma, which simultaneously leads to an ionization front displacement in air and a silica ablation process. Experiments have shown that the propagation speed of the detonation wave reaches about 20 km/s and scales as the cube root of the laser intensity, in good agreement with theoretical hydrodynamics modeling. During this presentation, we present the different phases and the associated mechanisms leading to this peculiar morphology: • During an incubation phase, a precursor defect provides energy deposit that drives the near surface material into a plasma state. • Next the silica plasma provides free electrons in the surrounding air, under laser irradiation an electron avalanche is initiated and generates a breakdown wave. • Then this breakdown wave leads to an expansion of the air plasma. This latter is able to heat strongly the silica surface as well as generate free electrons in its conduction band. Hence, the silica becomes activated along the breakdown wave. • When the silica has become absorbent, an ablation mechanism of silica occurs, simultaneously with the air plasma expansion, resulting in the formation of the ring patterns in the case of these modulated laser pulses. These mechanisms are supported by experiments realized in vacuum environment. A model describing the expansion of the heated area by thermal conduction due to plasma free electrons is then presented. Next, the paper deals with the two damage formation phases that are distinguished. The first phase corresponds to the incubation of the laser flux by a subsurface defect until the damage occurrence: an incubation fluence corresponds to this phase. The second is related to the damage expansion that only refers to the energy deposit feeding the activation mechanism up to the end of the pulse: an expansion fluence corresponds to this phase. A striking feature is that the damage diameters are proportional to the fluence of expansion at a given shot fluence. Indirectly, the fluences of incubation by the precursors are then determined.

The ablation of magnetron sputtered metal films on fused silica substrates by a 1053 nm, picosecond class laser was studied as part of a demonstration of its use for in-situ characterization of the laser spot under conditions commonly used at the sample plane for laser machining and damage studies. Film thicknesses were 60 and 120 nm. Depth profiles and SEM images of the ablation sites revealed several striking and unexpected features distinct from those typically observed for ablation of bulk metals. Very sharp thresholds were observed for both partial and complete ablation of the films. Partial film ablation was largely independent of laser fluence with a surface smoothness comparable to that of the unablated surface. Clear evidence of material displacement was seen at the boundary for complete film ablation. These features were common to a number of different metal films including Inconel on commercial neutral density filters, stainless steel, and aluminum. We will present data showing the morphology of the ablation sites on these films as well as a model of the possible physical mechanisms producing the unique features observed.

Based on an experimental system that can be used for simultaneous laser damage testing and time-resolved acquisition of intensity and phase images, we describe different experiments related to the study of laser damage process in the sub-picosecond regime. We report firstly on quantitative measurement of the Kerr effect in a fused silica substrate at fluences closed to the Laser Induced Damage Threshold. Then we study the damage initiation process in optical coatings, linked to intrinsic properties of the materials, and the dynamics of free electron generation and relaxation. At last, damage growth sequences are analyzed with time-resolved microscopy in order to understand laser damage growth in the case of High Reflective mirrors.

Laser-induced damage of SiO₂ (α-quartz) is investigated by first-principles calculations. The calculations are based on a coupled theoretical framework of the time-dependent density functional theory and Maxwell equation to describe strongly-nonlinear laser-solid interactions. We simulate irradiation of the bulk SiO₂ with femtosecond laser pulses and compute energy deposition from the laser pulse to electrons as a function of the distance from the surface. We further analyze profiles of laser-induced craters, comparing the transferred energy with the cohesive energy of SiO₂. The theoretical crater profile well reproduces the experimental features for a relatively weak laser pulse. In contrast, the theoretical result fails to reproduce the measured profiles for a strong laser pulse. This fact indicates a significance of the subsequent atomic motions that take place after the energy transfer ends for the formation of the crater under the strong laser irradiation.

New ultrashort pulse laser systems exhibit an ever increasing performance which includes shorter pulses and higher pulse energies. Optical components used in these systems are facing increasing requirements regarding their durability, and therefore understanding of the damage mechanism is crucial. In the ultra-short pulse regime electron ionization processes control the damage mechanisms. For the single wavelength, single pulse regime the Keldysh [1] and the Drude model [2] allow a quantitative description of these ionization processes. However, in this model, the electrical field is restricted to a single wavelength, and therefore it cannot be applied in the case of irradiation with two pulses at different wavelengths. As frequency conversion is becoming more common in ultra-short pulse applications, further research is needed in this field to predict the damage resistance of optical components. We investigate the damage behavior of high reflective mirrors made of different metal oxide materials under simultaneous exposure to ultra-short pulses at the wavelengths 387.5 nm and 775 nm, respectively.

The modeling of the laser-induced damage processes can be divided into thermal and electronic processes. Especially, electronic damage seems to be well understood. In corresponding models, the damage threshold is linked to the excitation of valence electrons into the conduction band, and often the damage is obtained if a critical density of free electrons is exceeded. For the modeling of the electronic excitation, rate equation models are applied which can vary in the different terms representing different excitation channels. According to the current state of the art, photoionization and avalanche ionization contribute the major part to the ionization process, and consequently the determination of laser-induced damage thresholds is based on the calculation of the respective terms. For the theoretical description of both, well established models are available. For the quantitative calculation of the photoionization, the Keldysh theory is used most frequently, and for the avalanche processes the Drude theory is often applied. Both, Drude and Keldysh theory calculations depend on the laser frequency and use a monochromatic approach. For most applications the monochromatic description matches very well with the experimental findings, but in the range of few-cycle pulses the necessary broadening of the laser emission spectrum leads to high uncertainty for the calculation. In this paper, a novel polychromatic approach is presented including photo- and avalanche ionization as well as the critical electron density. The simulation combines different ionization channels in a Monte-Carlo procedure according to the frequency distribution of the spectrum. The resulting influence on the wavelength and material dependency is discussed in detail for various pulse shapes and pulse durations. The main focus of the investigation is concentrated on the specific characteristics in the dispersion and material dependency of the laser-induced damage threshold respecting the polychromatic characteristics of the ultra-short pulse (USP) laser damage.

Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS), Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) were used to analyze the polishing induced contamination layer at the fused silica optics surface. Samples were prepared using an MRF polishing machine and cerium-based slurry. The cerium and iron penetration and concentration were measured in the surface out of defects. Cerium is embedded at the surface in a 60 nm layer and concentrated at 1200 ppmw in this layer while iron concentration falls down at 30 nm. Spatial distribution and homogeneity of the pollution were also studied in scratches and bevel using SIMS and EPMA techniques. An overconcentration was observed in the chamfer and we saw evidence that surface defects such as scratches are specific places that hold the pollutants. A wet etching was able to completely remove the contamination in the scratch.

Large aperture Nd:glass disk is often used as the amplifier medium in the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) facilities. The typical size of Nd:glass is up to 810mm×460mm×40mm and more than 3,000 Nd:glass components are needed in the ICF facility. At present, the 3ω fused silica glass and DKDP crystal are mainly responsible for the damage of driver used for ICF. However, with the enlargement of the facility and increase of laser shot number, the laser damage of Nd:glass at 1ω waveband is still an important problem to limit the stable operation of facility and improvement of laser beam quality. In this work, the influence of Nd:glass material itself, mechanical processing, service environment, and laser beam quality on its damage behavior is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The results and conclusions can be summarized as follows: (1) It is very important to control the concentration of platinum impurity particles during melting and the sputtering effect of the cladding materials. (2) The number and length of fractural and brittle scratches should be strictly suppressed during mechanical processing of Nd:glass. (3) The B-integral of high power laser beam should be rigorously controlled. Particularly, the top shape of pulses must be well controlled when operating at high peak laser power. (4) The service environment should be well managed to make sure the cleanness of the surface of Nd:glass better than 100/A level during mounting and running. (5) The service environment and beam quality should be monitored during operation.

Laser processing machines using Nd:YAG 3rd harmonic wave (355 nm) and 4th harmonic wave (266 nm) have been developed and put into practical use lately. Due to this, optical elements with high laser durability to 355 nm and 266 nm are required. Silica glass is the optical element which has high UV transmission and high laser durability. Laser-induced surface damage of the silica glass has been studied in detail, but we hardly have the significant knowledge of laserinduced bulk damage. This knowledge is required in order to evaluate the silica glass itself. That is because cracks and scratches on the surface give rise to a higher possibility of damage. Therefore, we studied the laser durability of a variety of the silica glass samples by 1-on-1 and S-on-1 laser-induced bulk damage threshold (LIDT) at 355 nm and 266 nm. In this study, we gained knowledge in three areas about bulk damage to the silica glass. First, the LIDT became lower as shot counts increased. Second, the LIDT decreased as the hydroxyl content in the silica glass increased. Last, the LIDT became higher as the hydrogen concentration in the silica glass increased. Under the UV irradiation, impurities are generated and the silica glass absorbs more light. Therefore, the LIDT decreased as shot counts increased. Also, the hydroxyl in particular generates more impurities, so damage easily occurs. On the other hand, the hydrogen reacts with impurities and absorption is suppressed. Based on these results, we can improve laser durability at 355 nm and 266 nm by reducing the hydroxyl content and increasing the hydrogen concentration in the silica glass.

In this work tests for determination of ablation thresholds of various ceramic materials for pulsed laser irradiations at wavelengths of 355 nm and 1064 nm in vacuum are presented. For comparison tests with copper and aluminium are also reported. The ablation process was monitored insitu by long-distance microscopy. The morphology of ablation spots was exsitu inspected by scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the redeposition of potentially released particles on optics in the vicinity to the target was examined.

Optical coatings used in ultraviolet applications are often exposed to harsh environments operating at elevated temperatures. In order to study the impact of the ageing effects optical coatings experience at various operating temperatures, an ultraviolet laser-induced degradation test system has been developed. It allows for flexible use in both a long-term stability test bench as well as in an LIDT measurement system. This work contains the preliminary results of optical degradation tests at 355 nm performed on anti-reflective coatings. As a subsequent step, the LIDT of the samples were measured using a Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064nm.

An overview is presented of the characteristic features for the sandwich concept used for NLO crystal bulk absorption measurements. The sandwich concept is a photo-thermal absorption measurement concept based on the laser induced deflection (LID) technique. Besides a strong sensitivity enhancement for photo-thermally insensitive materials, the focus of the paper is on the absolute calibration, one of the key criteria for photo-thermal techniques. Based on experimental results it is proven that absolute bulk absorption calibration is simplified by using the sandwich concept since it is insensitive to sample orientation or dopants. Furthermore, experimental results on a variety of materials reveal that in general the bulk absorption calibration sample can be made of just one material, e.g. Aluminum which is favorable because of its easy mechanical handling. However, for surface/coating calibration a different result is found. Finally, the sandwich concept is applied to characterize the bulk absorption of different nonlinear crystals at the wavelengths 1064, 532, 355 and 266nm.

The knowledge of optical and thermal properties of materials at high temperatures is of crucial importance in the field of high power laser/material interactions. We report in this contribution on the development of a spectroscopic ellipsometry system dedicated to the measurement of optical properties of solid materials from the ambient to high temperatures (<1000 K). The experimental setup is based on a fiber-coupled high power laser diodes system operating at 800 nm used as remote heating, a supercontinuum source as probing beam, a fiber-optic spectrometer to measure reflected light and optical pyrometers for temperature monitoring.

Laser-induced bulk damage in potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) and its deuterated analog (DKDP) crystals for nanosecond pulses is caused by light-absorbing precursor defects, which are formed during crystal growth. However, current chemical analysis and spectroscopy techniques fail to identify the nature of the responsible precursor defects because of their “invisible” concentration and/or size. In this study, the aim was to explore a novel method for understanding laser–matter interactions with regard to physical parameters, such as size and concentration, affecting the ability of damage precursors to initiate damage. Laser-induced damage performance at 1064 nm of KDP crystals grown using filters of different pore sizes was investigated. By reducing the pore size of filters in continuous filtration growth, laser damage resistance was improved. Furthermore, a model based on a Gaussian distribution of precursor thresholds and heat transfer was developed to obtain a concentration and/or size distribution of the precursor defects. The results revealed that smaller size and/or lower concentration of precursor defects could lead to better damage resistance.

The dynamics of the laser-solid interaction with high intensity ultra-short s-polarized few-cycle pulses (FCPs) (E_photon ~ 1.65 eV) and single crystals (100) Si and GaAs (E_gap ~ 1.14 and 1.4 eV, respectivly) near the multipulse laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) were measured using a pump-probe reflectivity technique. FCP’s with central wavelength 760 nm and FWHM duration 5 fs used as both pump and probe pulses were incident at 45°, and the reflectivity of each probe pulse was measured as the delay between the pump and probe pulses was varied with ~ 0.1 fs resolution. Near zero delay, the probe pulse reflectivity displayed oscillatory behavior relative to the unexcited reflectivity for both materials, with a period equal to the optical cycle (~2.6 fs). For Si, the crystal orientation was varied so that the field polarization was parallel to the (010) and (011) directions, and half way in between. Significantly larger zero delay oscillations were observed for the field polarization parallel to the (011) direction compared to those for the other two directions.

Time resolved digital holography (TRDH) is a versatile tool that provides valuable insights into the dynamics of femtosecond damage initiation by providing spatiotemporal information of excited material. However, interpreting of TRDH data in thin film dielectric coatings is rather complicated without appropriate theoretical models that are able to correctly describe underlying nature of damage formation. Therefore, a model based on finite difference time domain (FDTD) method with complete Keldysh theory for nonlinear ionization of atoms and multiple rate equation (MRE) method for conduction band electrons was developed. The model was used to reproduce both temporal and spatial characteristics of TRDH experiment performed on Ta₂O₅ dielectric coating. Fitted material parameters were then applied to indirectly estimate LIDT of the coating.

The fatigue effect under multiple UV-laser irradiations can be attributed in many materials to a local material modification induced by the subsequent nanosecond laser pulses. Non-destructive investigations before breakdown are essential tools to study the mechanisms involved in the material modification process. In this work, we discuss the possibility to highlight the first stage of the material changes in UV-irradiated silica. Laser-induced material “defects” are studied by local in situ fluorescence measurements.

The laser damage thresholds of various HfO₂/SiO₂-based thin film coatings, including multilayer dielectric (MLD) gratings and high reflectors of different designs, prepared by E-beam and Plasma Ion Assisted Deposition (PIAD) methods, were investigated in vacuum, dry nitrogen, and after air-vacuum cycling. Single and multiple-pulse damage thresholds and their pulse-length scaling in the range of 0.6 to 100 ps were measured using a vacuum damage test station operated at 1053nm. The E-beam deposited high reflectors showed higher damage thresholds with square-root pulse-length scaling, as compared to PIAD coatings, which typically show slower power scaling. The former coatings appeared to be not affected by air/vacuum cycling, contrary to PIAD mirrors and MLD gratings. The relation between 1-on-1 and N-on-1 damage thresholds was found dependent on coating design and deposition methods.

The present contribution is addressed to an improved method to fabricate dielectric dispersive compensating mirrors (CMs) with an increased laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) by the use of ternary composite layers. Taking advantage of a novel in-situ phase monitor system, it is possible to control the sensitive deposition process more precisely. The study is initiated by a design synthesis, to achieve optimum reflection and GDD values for a conventional high low stack (HL)n. Afterwards the field intensity is analyzed, and layers affected by highest electric field intensities are exchanged by ternary composites of Ta_xSi_yO_z. Both designs have similar target specifications whereby one design is using ternary composites and the other one is distinguished by a (HL)ⁿ. The first layers of the stack are switched applying in-situ optical broad band monitoring in conjunction with a forward re-optimization algorithm, which also manipulates the layers remaining for deposition at each switching event. To accomplish the demanded GDD-spectra, the last layers are controlled by a novel in-situ white light interferometer operating in the infrared spectral range. Finally the CMs are measured in a 10.000 on 1 procedure according to ISO 21254 applying pulses with a duration of 130 fs at a central wavelength of 775 nm to determine the laser induced damage threshold.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been widely studied in Micro-electronics due to its self-terminating property. ALD also grows film coatings with precise thickness and nodular-free structure, which are desirable properties for high power coatings. The depositing process was studied to produce uniform, stable and economic Al₂O₃ single layers. The layer properties relevant to high power laser industry were studied and compared with IBS Al₂O₃ single layers. ALD Al₂O₃ showed a stable growth of 0.104 nm/cycle, band gap energy of 6.5 eV and tensile stress of about 480 MPa. It also showed a low absorption at wavelength 1064 nm within several ppm, and LIDT above 30 J/cm². These properties are superior to the reference IBS Al₂O₃ single layers and indicate a high versatility of ALD Al₂O₃ for high power coatings.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and Colorado State University (CSU) have co-developed a planarization process to smooth nodular defects. This process consists of individually depositing then etching tens of nanometers of SiO₂ with a ratio of 2:1, respectively. Previous work shows incorporating the angular dependent ion surface etching and unidirectional deposition reduces substrate defect cross-sectional area by 90%. This work investigates the micro-structural and optical modifications of planarized SiO₂ films deposited by ion beam sputtering (IBS). It is shown the planarized SiO₂ thin films have ~3x increase in absorption and ~18% reduction in thin film stress as compared to control (as deposited) SiO₂. Planarized SiO₂ films exhibit ~13% increase in RMS surface roughness with respect to the control and super polished fused silica substrates. Laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) results indicate the planarization process has no effect on the onset fluence but alters the shape of the probability vs fluence trace.

Four sets of mirror samples with multilayer system SiO₂/Ta₂O₅ on silver metal layer were manufactured using modified coating technology of the metal layer. Both BK7 and fused silica substrate materials were used. Laser-induced-damage-threshold of mirrors was tested using a laser apparatus working at 1030 nm wavelength, 3 ps pulse length at 1 kHz repetition rate and in 10⁵- on - 1 test mode. The measured damage thresholds values at 45 deg incidence and Ppolarization were compared for different substrate materials and different technology of the metal layer preparation. Additionally four sets of samples with silver layer covered by SiO₂ protecting monolayer were manufactured and tested for the comparison.

We have designed and reported on a dichroic beam combiner coating consisting of HfO₂/SiO₂ layer pairs to provide high transmission at 527 nm and high reflection at 1054 nm for 22.5° angle of incidence (AOI) in S polarization (Spol). The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of this first coating at the use AOI and polarization with 3.5 nanosecond (ns) pulses at 532 nm is 7 J/cm², and only marginally adequate for our beam combining application. In this paper, we describe the use of a combination of Al₂O₃ and HfO₂ high index layers to modify the first as well as a second dichroic coating in two different ways, which results in a higher LIDT of 10 J/cm² for 3.5 ns pulses at 532 nm and 22.5° AOI, Spol for the second dichroic coating, and in the same 7 J/cm² LIDT for the first dichroic coating.