Photoionization of wide bandgap silicate glasses by ultrashort IR laser pulses

Leo A. Siiman; Julien Lumeau; Leonid B. Glebov

doi:10.1117/12.804984

30 December 2008 Photoionization of wide bandgap silicate glasses by ultrashort IR laser pulses

Leo A. Siiman, Julien Lumeau, Leonid B. Glebov

Proceedings Volume 7132, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2008; 713205 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.804984
Event: Boulder Damage Symposium XL Annual Symposium on Optical Materials for High Power Lasers, 2008, Boulder, Colorado, United States

Abstract

We study the excitation of luminescence, photoionization, and laser-induced breakdown in a multi-component silicate photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) glass, and in fused silica. PTR glass is a high-purity homogeneous photosensitive alkalisilicate glass with intrinsic absorption edge at 5.8 eV (214 nm). Experiments are conducted with ultrashort laser pulses (100 fsec< τ < 1.5 psec) at the wavelengths 780 nm, 1430 nm, and 1550 nm. Filaments are observed inside both glasses and explained by a balance between Kerr self-focusing and free electron defocusing. Keldysh theory is used to model the formation of filaments and values of about 10¹³ W/cm² for laser intensity and 10¹⁹ cm^-3 for free-electron density are estimated. Laser-induced damage by pulses at 1430 nm and 1550 nm is detected in fused silica and PTR glass by third harmonic generation due to the formation of an interface between a damage site and the surrounding glass matrix. It is found that there is an intensity range where luminescence and photoionization in both glasses occurs without laserinduced damage.

Citation Download Citation

Leo A. Siiman, Julien Lumeau, and Leonid B. Glebov "Photoionization of wide bandgap silicate glasses by ultrashort IR laser pulses", Proc. SPIE 7132, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2008, 713205 (30 December 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.804984

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