Reversible laser damage of dichroic coatings in a high-average-power laser vacuum resonator

Robert Chow; Leon Val Berzins; Phillip A. Arnold; Gaylen V. Erbert

doi:10.1117/12.379346

3 March 2000 Reversible laser damage of dichroic coatings in a high-average-power laser vacuum resonator

Robert Chow, Leon Val Berzins, Phillip A. Arnold, Gaylen V. Erbert

Proceedings Volume 3902, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 1999; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.379346
Event: Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 1999, 1999, Boulder, CO, United States

Abstract

In our application, dichroics in a high average power, near- IR, laser system have short operating lifetimes. These dichroics were used as the resonator fold mirrors and permitted the transmission of the pumping argon (Ar) ion laser light. Representative samples of two different dichroic optics were taken off-line and the transmission performance monitored in various scenarios. Irradiating these topics under resonator vacuum conditions, resulted in a degradation of transmission with time. Irradiating these optics in a rarefield oxygen atmosphere, the transmission remained steady over a period of days. The transmission loss observed in the optic tested in vacuum was somewhat reversible if the optic was subsequently irradiated in a rarefield oxygen atmosphere of 10 T of air also prevented the transmission degradation. In addition, test were performed to demonstrate that the optic damage was not caused by the ultra UV component in the Ar ion laser. Mechanisms that may account for this behavior are proposed.

Citation Download Citation

Robert Chow, Leon Val Berzins, Phillip A. Arnold, and Gaylen V. Erbert "Reversible laser damage of dichroic coatings in a high-average-power laser vacuum resonator", Proc. SPIE 3902, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 1999, (3 March 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.379346

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