1st Edition

Laser-Induced Damage of Optical Materials

By Roger M. Wood Copyright 2003

    The laser power handling capacities of optical systems are determined by the physical properties of their component materials. At low intensity levels these factors are not important, but an understanding of damage mechanisms is fundamental to good design of laser products operating at high power. Laser Induced Damage of Optical Materials presents a comprehensive overview of the damage processes that occur at high laser intensity levels and explains how these factors limit the energy handling capabilities of optical systems.

    The first two chapters of the book review basic EM theory, and consider optical effects, including absorption and scattering processes, that occur at low and medium energy levels. Chapter 3 describes the damage mechanisms that come into effect when intensity levels are raised. Chapter 4 discusses the central theory for the definition and measurement of the laser-induced damage thresholds of optical materials. This covers both thermal damage and dielectric breakdown as a function of absorption and laser pulse length and spot size. The following chapters are devoted to surfaces and sub-surface damage, coatings, measurement techniques, and special topics such as scaling and the importance of using the correct measurement unit systems.

    Laser Induced Damage of Optical Materials is an invaluable resource to those working with optical systems where high laser intensity is a factor.

    Glossary of Terms

    OPTICAL EFFECTS AT LOW POWER/ENERGY LEVELS
    Introduction
    Electromagnetic Theory
    Dispoersion
    Reflectance and Transmittance
    Reflectance and Absortance of a Conducting Surface
    Molecular Polarizability
    Absorption
    Scatter
    Analysis of R, T, A and S Measurements

    OPTICAL EFFECTS AT MEDIUM POWER/ENERGY LEVELS
    Introduction
    Absorption
    Raman Scattering
    Brillouin Scattering
    Harmonic Generation
    Self-Focusing

    DAMAGE THEORY
    Introduction
    Thermal Mechanisms
    Dielectric Processes
    Testing Regimes
    Time of Damage
    Damage Morphology

    SURFACES AND SUB-SURFACES
    Introduction
    Surfaces
    Sub-Surface

    COATINGS
    Introduction
    Coating Technology
    Measurements and Morphology of Coated Surfaces
    Coating Design
    Damage to Dielectric Coatings

    SPECIAL TOPICS
    Ambient Atmosphere/Gases
    Liquids
    Photodetectors
    Fibre Optics
    Scaling Laws
    Significance of the Units of Measurement

    MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
    Introduction
    Measurement of Power, Power Density, Energy, and Energy Density
    Laser-Induced Damage Threshold
    Measurement of Optical Characteristics
    Surface Measurement and Specification
    Other Measurements

    APPENDICES

    References
    Index

    Biography

    Wood, Roger M.

    "The study of LIDT theory, mechanisms, measurement, and amelioration has become a major research topic in the laser community. Laser-Induced Damage of Optical Materials will be an invaluable resource to users of industrial lasers as well as those involved in the design of optical systems where high-laser intensity is a factor. Graduate students will welcome this updated, compact, handy reference."
    -Optics & Photonics News, May 2005