SEDL / STP / STP689-EB / STP39132S

Frequency Dependence of Breakdown Fields in Single-Crystal NaCl and KCl

Soileau, MJ
Michelson Laboratory, Physics Division Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, CA

Bass, M
Michelson Laboratory, Physics Division Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, CA

Van Stryland, EW
Michelson Laboratory, Physics Division Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, CA

Pages: 9    Published: Jan 1979

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Abstract

In this paper new observations of the breakdown fields in single-crystal NaCl and KCl are reported. Measurements were made of the wavelength and focal spot radius dependence of breakdown fields in NaCl and KCl at optical frequencies. The measurements at different focal spot radii were used to establish empirical scaling laws for these two materials over the range of focal spot radii studied. Correct application of these scaling laws gives directly comparable fields at all frequencies. The results indicate little dispersion in breakdown fields over the wavelength range of 10.6 to 0.53 µm. The ratio of the NaCl and KCl breakdown fields are found to depend on frequency and this implies that extrinsic phenomena were being probed by these experiments.