Damage thresholds in laser irradiated optical materials
- I.R.P.H.E. Institute for Research on non Equilibrium Phenomena, Marseille (France)
- AEROSPATIALE CCR DCR-BL, Suresnes (France)
An experimental study on the damage induced by laser irradiation on different materials, borosilicate glass, fused silicate, moulded and stretched polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), has been performed. The irradiation source is a 1KJ pulsed cold cathode electron gun preionized TEA CO{sub 2} laser. Damage mechanisms are controlled by the in-depth absorption of the 10,6 {mu}m radiation according to the Beer-Lambert law. The heating of the interaction area gives rise to thermal or thermo-mechanical damages. PMMA is damaged following a boiling process. Stretched PMMA is fractured first, releasing stresses, then boiled like moulded PMMA at higher energy. BK7 crazed after the irradiation due to thermomechanical stresses, silicate melt and vaporized. Optical damages have been characterized by measuring the contrast transfer function through the irradiated samples.
- Research Organization:
- International Society for Optical Engineering, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 552255
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961070--Vol.2966
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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