SEDL / STP / STP1038-EB / STP24458S

Intrinsic Optical Damage in Potassium Bromide at 532 nm

Shen, XA
Washington State University, Pullman, WA

Braunlich, P
Washington State University, Pullman, WA

Jones, SC
Washington State University, Pullman, WA

Kelly, P
Washington State University, Pullman, WA

Pages: 11    Published: Jan 1988

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Abstract

The nonlinear interaction of intense 100 ps laser pulses at 532 nm with KBr single crystals is monitored up to damage by measuring the resulting a component of the self-trapped exciton recombination luminescence as a function of incident photon flux. Information on the temperature rise in the interaction volume is obtained from the σluminescence vs flux relation with the aid of the known temperature dependence of the luminous efficiency. We show that the mechanism of energy deposition is four-photon free carrier generation and ensuing free carrier heating with small contributions by self-trapped holes. Single-pulse damage occurs without electron avalanche formation at a temperature very close to the melting point.