A phenomenological study of the effect of trace contamination on lifetime reduction and laser-induced damage for optics

Christopher T. Scurlock

doi:10.1117/12.601944

21 February 2005 A phenomenological study of the effect of trace contamination on lifetime reduction and laser-induced damage for optics

Christopher T. Scurlock

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5647, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2004; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.601944
Event: Boulder Damage Symposium XXXVI, 2004, Boulder, Colorado, United States

Abstract

This research demonstrates that the presence of trace levels of contaminants to an otherwise evacuated system, leads to rapid onset of damage to optical elements in the presence of 1064 nm laser radiation. This onset is observed as a lifetime reduction. Specifically, 1064 nm radiation from a pulsed laser having approximately 800 mJ/cm² average fluence (<1.5 J/cm² peak fluence) illuminated fused silica windows used to seal a vacuum chamber, with a pressure <1.3x10^-1 Pa (<1.0x10^-3 torr). In the absence of any contamination the windows were demonstrated to show no signs of damage up to 2.3x10⁶ laser pulses. When gas phase toluene was introduced into the system at varying concentrations (<1.3 x10^-1 - 41Pa) (<1.0x10^-3 - 3.1x10^-1 torr), the onset of damage was seen to be a function of the toluene concentration, and damage was seen to occur as rapidly as 30,000 laser pulses. This phenomenon was also observed when the windows had a commercially applied coating of MgF₂ on the surface in the vacuum system. Similar experiments using acetone as the contaminant led to no observed damage for either type of optic, even at high concentrations. However, experiments using commercial adhesives, commonly used in spacecraft construction, do provide evidence of lifetime reduction. A discussion of possible mechanisms leading to damage is also included but none has been established from this work.

Citation Download Citation

Christopher T. Scurlock "A phenomenological study of the effect of trace contamination on lifetime reduction and laser-induced damage for optics", Proc. SPIE 5647, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2004, (21 February 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.601944

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