Precision damage tests of multilayer dielectric gratings for high-energy petawatt lasers

Igor Jovanovic; Curtis G. Brown; Brent C. Stuart; William A. Molander; Norman D. Nielsen; Benoit F. Wattellier; Jerald A. Britten; Deanna Marie Pennington; Christopher P. J. Barty

doi:10.1117/12.585068

21 February 2005 Precision damage tests of multilayer dielectric gratings for high-energy petawatt lasers

Igor Jovanovic, Curtis G. Brown, Brent C. Stuart, William A. Molander, Norman D. Nielsen, Benoit F. Wattellier, Jerald A. Britten, Deanna Marie Pennington, Christopher P. J. Barty

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5647, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2004; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.585068
Event: Boulder Damage Symposium XXXVI, 2004, Boulder, Colorado, United States

Abstract

The next generation of high-energy petawatt (HEPW)-class lasers will utilize multilayer dielectric diffraction gratings for pulse compression due to their high efficiency and high damage threshold for picosecond pulses. We have developed a short-pulse damage test station for accurate determination of the damage threshold of the optics used on future HEPW lasers. The design and performance of the damage test laser source, based on a highly stable, high-beam-quality optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier, is presented. Our short-pulse damage measurement methodology and results are discussed. The damage initiation is attributed to multiphoton-induced avalanche ionization, strongly dependent on the electric field enhancement in the grating groove structure and surface defects. Measurement results of the dependence of damage threshold on the pulse width, angular dependence of damage threshold of diffraction gratings, and an investigation of short-pulse conditioning effects are presented. We report record >4 J/cm² right section surface damage thresholds obtained on multilayer dielectric diffraction gratings at 76.5° incidence angles for 10-ps pulses.

Citation Download Citation

Igor Jovanovic, Curtis G. Brown, Brent C. Stuart, William A. Molander, Norman D. Nielsen, Benoit F. Wattellier, Jerald A. Britten, Deanna Marie Pennington, and Christopher P. J. Barty "Precision damage tests of multilayer dielectric gratings for high-energy petawatt lasers", Proc. SPIE 5647, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2004, (21 February 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.585068

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

;

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE