As part of the investigations, quantum nanolaminates (QNLs) were produced from TiO2, Nb2O5, and ZrO2 using IBS which are presented here. Complex layer systems, such as edge filters or polarizers, are produced using a system control specially adapted for such a large number of layers and the complete automation of the coating process. With these coatings, the focus was also on exploiting the blue-shift caused by quantization. Subsequent investigations are intended to demonstrate their applicability to other areas of optics production. The applications range from high laser damage thresholds to low mechanical losses for the mirrors of gravitational wave detectors or optical clocks.
The measurement of absorption in dielectric materials is one of the most important methods for the qualification of the
losses of optical components. For this reason, various procedures were developed for the measurement of the absorption
losses. One of the most sophisticated and established technique is the laser calorimetric measurement according to
ISO11551. The method allows to measure the absolute value of absorption losses.
In the presented measurement campaign, two sets of samples are investigated by laser calorimetric measurements. The
study displays the results of the linear and non-linear absorption measurements of TixSi1-xO2 -single layers coated by ion
beam sputtering. For the determination of the linear absorption behaviour a quasi CW-Laser at the wavelengths 532nm
and 1064nm was applied Additionally, the non linear absorption is measured by a Ti:Sapphire CPA-Laser at 790nm.
Many investigations in laser induced damage thresholds (LIDT) have shown a very deterministic behavior for the ultra
short pulse regime. From the current understanding, femtosecond laser damage is driven by electronic photon-matter
interaction. This process can be theoretically described by photo-, and avalanche-ionization and the respective relaxation
processes. On the basis of a wavelength dependency of the laser-induced damage threshold of titania, a dominant
influence of multi-photon absorption (MPI) on the damage behavior could be demonstrated. This particular
characteristic could be observed in a stepwise increase of the LIDT in the transition ranges of the orders of multi-photon
absorption.
This paper presents an analysis of the wavelength dependence of femtosecond LIDT with different theoretic models and
a comparison of simulated data with the measured wavelength dependence of titania. Both, the wavelength position and
the quantitative change of the laser power resistance in the range of the n to the n+1 photon absorption are calculated in
a theoretical analysis. Additionally, the influence of different microstructures of titania on the quantized MPIcharacteristic
is investigated.
The stability of thin film coatings for applications especially in the UV spectral range is oftentimes a limiting factor in
the further development of radiation sources and beam delivery systems. Particularly, functional coatings on laser and
conversions crystals as well as resonator mirrors show an insufficient lifetime due to laser-induced degradation. Previous
investigations in the power handling capability of UV coatings mostly concentrate on the properties of pure oxide
materials and particle mitigation.
Recent innovations in ion beam sputtering technology enabled efficient deposition of mixture coatings of different oxide
materials. In combination with an advanced thickness monitoring equipment, the described IBS deposition systems are
capable of employing designs with sub-layers of a few nm thickness. In the present investigation, the stability of classical
designs using pure oxide materials is compared with gradient index design concepts based on mixture materials.
Reflecting and transmitting thin film coatings employing classical and gradient index approaches manufactured under
comparable conditions are characterized in respect to their power handling capability. The results are analyzed before the
background of theoretical expectations regarding contributions from field enhancement and absorptance effects.
In this contribution we will summarize the fundamental mechanisms that lead to subpicosecond laser
damage in dielectric films, discuss the resulting scaling laws of single pulse (1-on-1) damage with respect
to pulse duration and bandgap, of the multiple pulse (S-on-1) damage threshold as a function of pulse
number, and compare these findings to recent experimental results.
Laser induced breakdown of single-layer, ion-beam sputtered TixSi1-xO2 composite films was studied using single and
multiple pulses from a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser. The bandgap of this coating material can be gradually adjusted
with the composition parameter x. A scaling law with respect to the bandgap energy and pulse duration dependence of
the single-pulse damage threshold that was observed previously for pure oxide films was found to apply to the composite
films as well. The dependence of the damage threshold as a function of pulse number F(N) was similar to the behavior
observed for pure oxide films. It was possible to explain the dependence as a function of pulse number using a
theoretical model based on the formation and accumulation of defects. The shape of F(N) can be used to estimate the role of shallow traps and deep traps on the multiple-pulse breakdown behavior.
The development of a novel compact EUV spectrophotometer will be presented. The device is capable of measuring reflectance and transmittance spectra of medium scale EUV-optics primary in the spectral range from 12nm to 21nm. Based on a new polychromatic measurement principle, the system uses the direct irradiation of a table-top EUV-source for illuminating the sample and a broad-band spectrograph for detecting the probe and reference beam.
Samples can be investigated under different angles of incidence and in respect of lateral dependencies.
Typical results of reflectivity investigations of Mo/Si-mirrors and transmitting foils will be shown and compared with reference measurements of certified institutes and calculations.
So far, laser calorimetry (LCA) as absorptance measurement procedure according to ISO 11551 has been commonly
performed at a variety of selected laser wavelengths. Thus, this procedure has been a valuable tool
for optimization processes of dielectric coatings. For an even more comprehensive detection of any absorbing
contribution in a dielectric layer stack a free selectable test wavelength gives more detailed insights in optics characterization.
According to this approach an OPO system was implemented in a laser calorimetric test bench. By
this, a tunable laser source with sufficient laser power is available to conduct calorimetric absorptance measurements.
Results of detailed investigations of the contribution of the material constituents of a dielectric optical
component are presented in this paper.
The ISO 11254 standard for LIDT tests suggests two possible spatial beam profiles for damage testing. Accordingly, an equal set of samples was tested with a Gaussian TEM00 as well as with a top-hat beam profile at different beam diameters. It was found that for the investigated HfO2/SiO2 high reflectors there was no threshold dependence on the beam diameter at 355nm. The damage threshold values measured with the Gaussian and the top-hat beam were in good correlation.
A modified IBS-process was used to create mixtures of oxide coating materials. The process allows to manufacture new
designs, whereas the important optical and electronic properties of the material can be varied in a wide range. Especially
for ultra short pulse applications, higher damage thresholds can be achieved.
In this paper, LIDT measurements of mixed and pure single layers are presented. The coatings were investigated at
different wavelengths and in a wide pulse duration range. The results of the measurements confirm the empirical law of
the linear LIDT dependency on the absorption gap. Based on this empirical law, the Refractive Index StEps Down
(RISED) concept was developed. From the data of the single layer measurements, an optimization of RISED optical
components in the fs-regime will lead to even higher damage thresholds. Particularly, for high reflecting mirrors the
damage threshold could be doubled for different dielectric coating materials. Additionally, the paper presents a
theoretical analysis of the stack LIDT on the basis of the single layer properties.
The scaling law of subpicosecond laser induced damage (LID) with respect to pulse duration and band gap for TixSi1-xO2 composite films is studied. The band gap in these materials can be changed gradually by varying the composition pa-rameter x. Damage is very deterministic and scaling laws with respect to pulse duration and band gap energy derived previously for pure materials are found to apply to composite films. The scaling can be explained theoretically by using a modified Keldysh theory. The composite materials also show a dependence of the damage threshold as a function of pulse number F(N) (incubation) that is similar to observations in pure dielectric oxides. The measured F(N) is explained with a theoretical model that assumes the formation of an intermediate sample state that increases the absorption of sub-sequent pulses in the train.
Investigations in fs-laser damage mechanisms within the recent years indicate that damage mechanisms in the fs-range
are based on electronic interaction schemes in the material. Usually, a direct correlation of the power handling capability
to the band gap structure of the material and the field strength distribution in the optical system is observed.
The present work is focused on the optimization of high refractive index coating materials by mixing with silica. The
different compositions of mixed materials are manufactured with an IBS coating process using a zone target. This
technique allows for a continuous variation of the material composition.
In addition, new coating designs were developed to adapt the contents of silica within the layers to the high field
strengths. By combining these techniques a significant increase of the laser damage threshold could be accomplished.
It is well known that optical dielectric coatings show a change in performance when altering the environmental
condition from air to vacuum. Evacuating or venting a set-up will shift the spectral characteristic and also the damage
behavior of the specimen. With respect to the spectral shift it has been observed that dense dielectric coatings
manufactured by Ion Assisted Deposition and Ion Beam Sputtering do not show this modification.
This work was performed to investigate AR coatings of different deposition processes to determine whether the LIDT of
dense layers can also be kept stable in vacuum. It was found that the damage threshold of these dense coatings is also
stable in an evacuated environment.
The development of advanced and reliable techniques for the production of optical coating systems with a
continuous variation of the refractive index opens the way towards a new generation of optical components in
laser technology and modern optics.
The present paper is dedicated to an Ion Beam Sputtering (IBS) concept for the production of coatings with
gradual index layers and Rugate filters. On the basis of a spectrophotometric online-control system, Rugate filter
coatings were produced with high precision and reliability. In addition to the optical performance, especially the
laser damage properties of the coating systems were investigated with respect to defined mixtures of two coating
materials and the influence of gradual index layer designs. A dramatic increase of the laser induced damage
threshold was observed for the produced Rugate coatings. The experimental results are discussed considering the
special properties of gradual coating systems.
Microscopic imaging methods are valuable tools to analyze damage morphologies of laser optics for ns and fs
applications. In the fs-regime, the morphology of TiO2/SiO2 coatings with modified field strength distributions were
investigated, whereby a characteristic morphology was caused by the special designed vertical field strength profile,
depending on the local power density. In the ns-regime, the morphology of the damage sites has shown significant
differences between the quarter wave stacks and the gradual index systems without abrupt interfaces in the functional
layers. Typically, these Rugate high reflectors did not show catastrophic damage. Rather the damage becomes apparent
by the creation of colour centres.
The power handling capability of optical components is still one of the most important limitations for the further improvement of ultra-short pulse lasers in respect of average power and pulse energy. Laser-induced damage of functional dielectric coatings on laser crystals, pockels cells, out-coupling polarizers and compressor gratings is severely inhibiting the wide dispersion of ultra-short pulse laser systems especially in industrial production environments. Since the underlying physical causes for laser-induced damage with ultra-short pulses are distinctly differing from those in the nanosecond time scale, novel approaches must be found for an unambiguous improvement in damage resistance of optical coatings.
In previous investigations, the band-gap of the coating material and the maximum field strength in the layer stack were identified as most important influences on the laser-induced damage with ultra-short pulses. Furthermore, a significant nonlinear increase of absorptance in dielectric coatings was found to be strongly related to the band-gap of the material. These effects were traced back to the multi-photon and avalanche-ionization as driving mechanisms for producing a critical conduction band population. In the current investigations, numerous model layer systems were investigated concerning laser-induced damage and non-linear absorptance. Adapting the ion beam sputtering coating process for achieving co-deposition of high and low index materials, coatings with continuously tunable refractive indices were produced. The results of the experiments exhibit a strong correlation of the damage threshold to the controllable shifting band-gaps of the coating materials.
For the development of pioneering optical components for beam collimation and shaping, test set-ups are indispensable for characterizing the reflectance and transmittance over the relevant spectral range. Since radiation sources with a sufficiently high brilliance were only available at synchrotron devices up to now, the characterization of the spectral characteristics was concentrated at large-scale research institutions. In contrast to that, a strong need can be noticed for innovative small and medium companies to use compact and flexible in-house spectrophotometers accelerating product development. In the framework of the present collaboration, a novel table-top spectrophotometer for measuring the spectral characteristics of medium scale EUV-optics (up to 50mm diameter) in the spectral range from 11 to 20nm was developed. The device is based on a new polychromatic measurement principle using the direct irradiation of a compact EUV-tube for illuminating the sample and a broad-band spectrometer for detecting the probe and reference beam. The samples can be investigated under different angles of incidence and in respect to lateral dependencies. In the present paper, first results with different reflecting and transmitting EUV-optical elements demonstrate flexibility, and the achieved spectral resolution and accuracy is presented.
In the context of lifetime of optics in laser systems in space, spot size dependencies of laser induced damage thresholds have been investigated. The measurements were performed with two different Nd:YAG laser systems at 1064 nm with pulse durations of 8 and 50 ns and repetitition rates of 10Hz and 3kHz, respectively. The effective beam diameter was varied in the range of a few microns up to some tens of millimetres using several focussing optics. In preparation of the experimental analysis, simulations have been performed to determine the difference of the linear evaluation algorithm and a more sophisticated theoretical description of the damage threshold. Correspondence of simulated and experimental results should reveal information concerning the applicability of small spot sizes to standardized damage tests.
Nonlinear absorption measurements at 800 nm and 400 nm in single wavelength high reflection (HR) dielectric mirrors were performed, according to the ISO 11551 standard by pulse, gradient and exponential absorption evaluation methods, using pulsed, diode pumped femtosecond laser system with pulse duration ~130 fs. Pulsed laser output at 1kHz repetition rate had 1 W and 0.36 W average power at 800 nm and 400 nm, respectively. The HR mirrors were made of ZrO2 and SiO2 layers. The beam was focused into the mirror, and changing the beam power by step attenuator, it was possible to evaluate nonlinear absorption at different intensities up to intensity close to damage threshold. The nonlinear absorptance for 400 nm pulses at the femtosecond pulse intensity 0.8 TW/cm2 was 0.48 % and ~20 times exceeded the nonlinear absorptance for the 800 nm pulses.
Although the measurement of the laser-induced damage threshold is a field of permanent research effort since the late 1960s, the optimization of the damage handling capability is still a key issue for the development of high performance laser systems. In conjunction with the ever increasing demand for lasers with high average power, energy, extreme wavelengths or short pulses, the resistance to laser damage has to be optimized with a special regard to the different
damage mechanisms. Therefore, a report of the current status of the laser-induced damage threshold is given for the most interesting components and laser systems applied in science and industry. Further, several results of recently performed damage investigations in the NIR spectral range and for ultra short pulses are presented in this paper. The reliability of damage threshold measurements is crucially depending on the chosen test parameters. The importance
of the different parameter values were investigated carefully during several Round-Robin experiments. These investigations can be regarded as the basis of the standardization process leading to the International Standard ISO 11254. In this paper, selected results of the comparative campaigns in damage testing are described, especially in the field of ns and fs pulses.
Past investigations in the damage threshold of laser components have been of high interest within optics characterization. In view of the ever increasing complexity of optical components investigations in the LIDT require a more sophisticated adaptation of the measurement set-ups. The optimization of high power solid state laser systems led to the disc laser concept, which provides an increased output power. The achievable output power is mainly limited by the damage threshold of the coated and bonded crystal. Consequently, the understanding of damage mechanisms is a fundamental requirement for the disc laser optimization. It is assumed that the damage in disc laser crystals and deposited coatings can be traced back to the defects on the crystal surface or in the optical coatings. The expected size of the defects initiating laser damage ranges in the micrometer scale. In the present study, LIDT experiments are focused on the verification of this assumption and are intended to assist in the optimization of the manufacturing process. For a detection of the defects, an online defect inspection system was extended by a highly resolving imaging technique. The LIDT measurements have been performed on the basis of the Son1 protocol according to ISO 11254-2 at an effective pulse duration of about 11ns and a repetition rate of a few Hz at the wavelength 1.064nm.
The physical effects reducing the damage threshold of dielectric films when exposed to multiple femtosecond pulses are investigated. The measured temperature increase of a Ta2O5 film scales exponentially with the pulse fluence. A polarized luminescence signal is observed that depends quadratically on the pulse fluence and is attributed to two-photon excitation of self-trapped excitons that form after band-to-band excitation. The damage fluence decreases with increasing pulse number, but is independent of the repetition rate from 1 Hz to 1 kHz at a constant pulse number. The repetition rate dependence of the breakdown threshold is also measured for TiO2, HfO2, Al2O3, and SiO2 films. A theoretical model is presented that explains these findings.
In comparison to studies at longer pulse regimes, investigations of laser induced damage threshold indicate a contrary behavior on the fs-scale for the dielectric coatings. In general, experiments reveal an electronic cause of the damage. The strong correlation of theoretical calculations with experimental data of laser induced damage thresholds for quartz verifies this assumption. Consequently, the characteristic function of the wavelength dependence of the damage threshold differs in this range from the classical behavior. The quantized structure of the electronic transition leads to a typical step function of the LIDT in dependence on the band gap energy of the materials. Hence, the step should be observed between energy levels from n to n+1 electron ionization. In detail, the probability for the transition of the electron from the valence band to the conduction band changes abruptly.
In an international cooperation with the University of Vilnius the wavelength dependence of the LIDT was investigated for dielectric coatings of TixSi1-xO2 as a function of the stoichiometry. The measurements were performed for a wavelength range from 600 to 800 nm and at a pulse duration of 130 fs by using an OPA laser system. The step from two photon to three photon ionization was measured. The assumption of the mentioned behavior of the fs-damage was proven. For different concentrations of silicon and titanium in the oxide, the electronic structure of the material changes. The experiments have shown an increasing gap energy and LIDT for a high content of silica.
Ultra-short pulse laser systems with high peak power densities are increasingly applied in fundamental and industrial research. Furthermore, these radiation sources are also considered as promising tools for innovative applications in the fields of precise micro-machining and medicine applications. For an improvement of production throughput and economic efficiency, the development of femtosecond laser systems with output powers beyond the actual level of about a few Watts is highly demanded. Further progresses in performance are mainly inhibited by the damage handling capability of laser optical components.
A promising strategy for an improvement of present fs-optics is the utilization of high band-gap coating materials. Several investigations in modeling of the damage mechanisms in dielectrics were performed recently. Typically, damage occurs if a critical conduction band population was generated by multi-photon and avalanche-ionization during the initial stage of the ultrashort pulse. Nevertheless, the influence of multi-photon excitation and electron donators (color centers) in the band-gap as sources of initial electrons is still unclear. For studying non-linear absorption effects of dielectric coating materials near the transition wavelengths between two orders of multi-photon absorption, a femtosecond laser system equipped with an optical parametric amplifier was utilized providing ultrashort pulses over a wide wavelength range. The laser-calorimetric measurements indicate a drastic change in the non-linear absorptance behavior for the investigated dielectrics. The results underline the dominant role of multi-photon excitation compared to intra-band electron donators for the generation of conduction band electrons in the case of high performance coatings manufactured by ion beam sputtering.
In the framework of the European research project EUFELE, a set of fluoride and oxide single layer coatings was deposited, irradiated with synchrotron radiation, and subsequently thoroughly characterised. The observed coating damage is strongly related to the spatial distribution of the synchrotron radiation. Therefore, characterisation methods have to be adapted to techniques that are capable to reveal the structural and optical behavior with adequate spatial resolution. A summary of the radiation damages of oxide materials (SiO2, Al2O3 and HfO2) produced by conventional and sputter deposition techniques, and of fluoride single layers (MgF2, LaF3, AlF3) deposited by thermal evaporation is presented. Degradation was observed within the irradiated areas as well as in the not directly exposed area. The observed degradation effects depend on the surface site. Oxide systems show a superior resistance compared to fluoride coatings. The most sensitive material is Lanthanum fluoride.
Pulse duration and band-gap scaling of the laser breakdown threshold fluence of oxide dielectrics were measured using various (TiO2, Ta2O5, HfO2, Al2O3, and SiO2) single layer thin films. The observed scaling with pulse duration was explained by an empirical model including multi-photon and avalanche ionization, and conduction band electron decay. The results suggest the formation of self-trapped excitons on a sub-ps time-scale, which can cause significant energy transfer to the lattice. At constant pulse duration, the band-gap scaling was found to be approximately linear. This linear scaling can be explained by the Keldysh photo-ionization theory and avalanche ionization in the flux-doubling approximation.
For the development of standard measurement procedures in optics characterization, comparative measurement campaigns (Round-robin experiments) are indispensable. Within the framework of the CHOCLAB project in the mid-90s, several international Round-robins were
successfully performed qualifying procedures for e. g. 1 on 1-LIDT, laser-calorimetry and total scattering. During the recent years, the demand for single pulse damage investigations has been overtaken by the more practically relevant S on 1-LIDT. In contrast to the
industrial needs, the comparability of the multiple-pulse LIDT has not been proven by Round-robin experiments up to now. As a consequence of the current research activities on the interaction of ultra-short pulses with matter as well as industrial applications, numerous fs-laser systems become available in universities and research institutes. Furthermore, special problems for damage testing may be expected because of the intrinsic effects connected with the interaction of ultrashort pulses with optical materials. Therefore, a Round-robin experiment on S on 1-damage testing
utilizing fs-pulses was conducted within the framework of the EUREKA-project CHOCLAB II. For this experiment, seven parties investigated different types of mirrors and windows. Most of the partners were guided by the International Standard ISO 11254-2, but one partner employed his own damage testing technique. In this presentation, the results of this comparative experiment are compiled demonstrating the problems induced by special effects of damage testing in the ultra-short pulse regime.
Ultra-short pulse systems are considered as innovative laser sources for a variety of applications in micro material structuring, medicine and diagnostics. Current commercial systems are still lacking in output power limiting the throughput and the economic efficiency within a production line. In the optimization of ultra short pulse sources of the next generation, special effects in optical components during interaction with ultra-short pulses
play a major role. Especially, low damage thresholds and non-linear absorptance have already been observed within the activities of the EUREKA-project CHOCLAB II, which are concentrated on the evaluation of multiple-pulse damage and the absorptance of fs-optical components
according to the International Standards ISO 11254-2 and ISO 11551.
In this paper, a theoretical model on the basis of photo- and avalanche ionization is presented describing the incidence of damage as a consequence of a sufficient high density of conduction band electrons. Furthermore, the influence of the Kerr-effect and conduction band electrons on the optical properties of dielectrics is investigated theoretically. From our calculations, a significant increase in reflectance due to the dominant Kerr-effect can be
deduced as well as a noticeable increase in absorptance induced by free electron heating already at energy density values clearly below the damage threshold. Finally, results of an experimental investigation in the influence of the internal field strength in a dielectric layer stack on the damage threshold are described. The experiments clearly support the assumption already stated in other publications, that the field intensity formed by the optical design plays a key role for damage resistance of optical coatings for ultrashort pulses.
Dielectric oxide and fluoride films used for optical coatings are
studied with femtosecond laser pulses with respect to their breakdown and pre-breakdown behavior. A phenomenological model with only three figures of merit is used to explain the measured breakdown thresholds for pulse durations from 25 fs to 1 ps. The temporal evolution of the dielectric constant in the pre-breakdown
regime is obtained from transient reflection and transmission measurements after taking into account standing wave effects of pump and probe. In addition to electron-electron and electron-phonon scattering processes, the creation of a new sample state after a few hundred fs is observed. The experimental data are explained with a computer simulation based on the Boltzmann equation.
Ultra-short pulse laser systems are considered as promising tools in the fields of precise micro-machining and medicine applications. In the course of the development of reliable table top laser systems, a rapid growth of ultra-short pulse applications could be observed during the recent years. The key for improving the performance of high power laser systems is the quality of the optical components concerning spectral characteristics, optical losses and the power handling capability. In the field of ultra-short pulses, standard measurement procedures in quality management have to be validated in respect to effects induced by the extremely high peak power densities.
The present work, which is embedded in the EUREKA-project CHOCLAB II, is predominantly concentrated on measuring the multiple-pulse LIDT (ISO 11254-2) in the fs-regime. A measurement facility based on a Ti:Sapphire-CPA system was developed to investigate the damage behavior of optical components. The set-up was supplied with an improved pulse energy detector discriminating the influence of pulse-to-pulse energy fluctuations on the incidence of damage. Aditionally, a laser-calorimetric measurement facility determining the absorption (ISO 11551) utilizing a fs-Ti:Sapphire laser was accomplished. The investigation for different pulse durations between 130 fs and 1 ps revealed a drastic increase of absorption in titania coatings for ultra-short pulses.
The development of high quality optical components is heavily depending on precise characterization procedures. The reflectance and transmittance of laser components are the most important parameters for advanced laser applications. In the industrial fabrication of optical coatings, quality management is generally insured by spectral photometric methods according to ISO/DIS 15386 on a medium level of accuracy.
Especially for high reflecting mirrors, a severe discrepancy in the determination of the absolute reflectivity can be found for spectral photometric procedures. In the first part of the CHOCLAB project, a method for measuring reflectance and transmittance with an enhanced precision was developed, which is described in ISO/WD 13697. In the second part of the CHOCLAB project, the evaluation and optimization for the presented method is scheduled. Within this framework international Round-Robin experiment is currently in progress.
During this Round-Robin experiment, distinct deviations could be observed between the results of high precision measurement facilities of different partners. Based on the extended experiments, the inhomogeneity of the sample reflectivity was identified as one important origin for the deviation. Consequently, this inhomogeneity is also influencing the calibration procedure. Therefore, a method was developed that allows the calibration of the chopper blade using always the same position on the reference mirror. During the investigations, the homogeneity of several samples was characterized by a surface mapping procedure for 1064 nm.
The measurement facility was extended to the additional wavelength 532 nm and a similar set-up was assembled at 10.6 μm. The high precision reflectivity procedure at the mentioned wavelengths is demonstrated for exemplary measurements.
Within the EUREKA-project EU 2359 (Instruments and Standard Test Procedures for Laser Beam and Optics Characterization) a "Round-Robin"-experiment on reflectivity measurements at the wavelength λ = 1.06 μm has been carried out. The topic of this "Round-Robin"-experiment was the evaluation of the Working Draft ISO/WD 13697 and Committee Draft ISO/CD 15368 and the comparison to simple transmission and reflectivity measurements.
For the determination of transmittance and reflectance of laser components, commercially available spectrophotometers are used in industry to monitor the quality at a medium accuracy level. If a higher level of precision is required, especially to resolve the reflectivity of high-reflecting dielectric mirrors, the measurement set-up described in ISO/WD 13697 should be preferred. This standard procedure was elaborated in the framework of the CHOCLAB project.
This paper analyzes the results of the "Round-Robin"-experiment; the accuracy and comparability of measurements according to different methods will be given.
The damage behavior of five different oxide dielectric thin films (Ta2O5, TiO2, Al2O3, HfO2, and SiO2) has been investigated with ultrashort laser pulses with durations from 25 fs to 1 ps. At all pulse durations the damage threshold is well defined and scales with the bandgap energy of the material. The damage behavior can be described with a phenomenological model taking into account multi-photon excitation, impact ionization, and electron relaxation. The temporal evolution of the dielectric constant of the film following the excitation with pulses below the damage threshold has been measured with time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy. The complex dielectric constant was retrieved from transient reflection and transmission data.
Multi-shot investigations of Ti:sapphire laser (wavelength (lambda) approximately equals 800 nm) induced damage were performed in three different laboratories (BAM, Berlin; LZH, Hannover; UNM, Albuquerque). The ablation behavior of a high reflecting mirror consisting of alternating (lambda) /4- layers of Ta2O5 and SiO2 was studied. Fused silica served as substrate. The influence of the pulse duration ((tau) equals 13 - 130 fs), the pulse number (30 - (infinity) ) and the repetition rate (10 Hz - 100 MHz) on the damage threshold will be discussed.
The development of ultrashort pulse laser systems is strongly gaining importance in laser technology and its applications. In the course of the achievements in laser development during the last years, reliable table-top ultrashort pulse laser systems are near to their realization. These systems will allow for innovative applications in industrial environments and medicine. For the next generation of ultrashort laser systems with pulse durations below 100 fs, chirped mirrors are employed for compensating pulse broadening induced by pulse propagation through laser crystals. In former investigations, a significantly lower damage threshold compared to standard mirrors was reported. At the Laser Zentrum Hannover, multiple-pulse laser-induced damage thresholds were determined with a measurement facility utilizing a Ti:Sapphire-CPA system. In the damage tests, samples coated with model layer systems, short pass filters, standard quarter-wave stacks and chirped mirrors were investigated. For the chirped mirrors, distinctly lower damage thresholds were measured compared to standard QWOT- mirrors. Calculations indicate a clear correlation between the damage threshold and the field intensity in the layer stacks.
Laser induced breakdown of a high-quality mirror consisting of alternating (lambda) /4 layers of Ta2O5 and SiO2 and a single 500-nm thin film of Ta2O5 were studied with amplified and unamplified femtosecond pulses. The experimental data can be fitted with a model taking into account multiphoton absorption, impact ionization, and local intensity enhancements due to interference effects in the films. The results indicate that state of the art, high- quality thin films show a damage behavior that is similar to bulk materials. Defects and impurities play a negligible role. Incubation effects are found to reduce the damage threshold when the coatings are damaged with multiple pulses from a femtosecond oscillator. Time-resolved pump-probe reflection and transmission experiments indicate a decay of the excited electron plasma with characteristic time constants of 4 ps, 60 ps, and 700 ps.
In the course of the rapid development of laser technology and modern optics, an ever increasing demand for optical coatings with extraordinary specifications can be observed. In practice, the production of such high quality optics with special requirements in respect to bandwidth, edge steepness or wavelength accuracy regularly requires an extended optimization of the coating process. In many cases, the resulting high production cost delays the development of new promising concepts in laser and optics technology. For the realization of new optical designs, generally two difficulties occur: At first, the physical properties of the coating materials change after completion of the coating process due to environmental influences. Furthermore, the accuracy of the commonly utilized methods for thin films thickness monitoring is not sufficient for a reliable thickness control. In this paper, an ion beam sputtering (IBS) coating process is described for the completely automated fabrication of optical coatings with extremely stable characteristics. In contrast to conventional arrangements with witness glasses, the presented thickness monitoring during the coating process can be directly performed for the optics. The precise transmittance measurement over a bandwidth of one octave is achieved by a fiber-coupled multi-channel spectrophotometer. With this arrangement also very small layer thickness errors are detected and may be compensated by optimizing the subsequent layers in the stack in order to meet the specifications. The combination of the innovative IBS- process with the broad-band spectrophotometric thickness monitoring is the key for new laser applications, e.g. low loss edge filters for high power diode laser wavelength multiplexing or phase-optimized mirrors for ultrashort pulse laser systems.
During the last few years enormous technical progress has been achieved in the development of ultrashort pulse lasers. The new generation of these laser systems are near the threshold to innovative applications in industrial environments for precision materials processing. As a consequence, an increasing demand for optical components with high laser damage resistance and extended lifetime can be noticed. In order to investigate the damage threshold and lifetime, the existing multiple-pulse laser-induced damage measurement facility at the Laser Zentrum Hannover has been adapted for the ultrashort pulse regime. During our measurements, the most important substrate materials and selected model layer systems were investigated, and the influence of optimized coating processes was studied. The reslut indicate a distinct reduction of the damage threshold with the exposed pulse number.
High repetition rate solid-state laser systems are used in many scientific and industrial applications. Especially-Q- switched Nd:YAG lasers are gaining increasing importance as pump sources for frequency conversion processes. These lasers are a potential alternative for several classical gas laser systems. Presently, the development of Nd:YAG systems with higher output power and improved beam parameters suffers from limitations imposed by the power handling capability of the optical components. At the Laser Zentrum Hannover, a facility has been installed for the measurement of the multiple-pulse damage thresholds of optical surfaces according to ISO/DIS 11254-2. For an efficient determination of the threshold values, an on-line algorithm calculating the recommended energy for each site has been elaborated and implemented. The most important coating materials for the NIR spectral range were investigated, in respect to their S- on-1 damage threshold. The results indicate the materials dependent reduction of the damage threshold with an increasing number of pulses per site.
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