SEDL / STP / STP689-EB / STP39110S

Laser Induced Damage in Fluoride Glasses: A Status Report

Stokowski, SE
University of California Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Livermore, California

Milam, D
University of California Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Livermore, California

Weber, MJ
University of California Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Livermore, California

Pages: 10    Published: Jan 1979

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Abstract

Bulk and surface damage thresholds of fluorophosphate and fluoroberyllate glasses have been measured for 1-ns 1064-nm laser pulses. For crystal-free samples, threshold values for fluoride glasses are comparable to those measured in optical quality fused silica and borosilicate glasses. However, for many samples investigated the presence of solid inclusions results in low damage thresholds. Some examples of solid inclusions are shown and discussed. Surface damage thresholds in FK-51 fluorophosphate glass are uniformly high and exhibit an approximate square root dependence on pulse duration in the range of 0.1–1.0 ns.