Abstract

The properties of diamond, in particular its very high thermal conductivity, give it enormous potential as a material for laser optics. In the case of CO₂ lasers, the standard material ZnSe is a poor conductor and can demonstrate strong thermal lensing at high power densities, often requiring deliberate convective cooling. This paper describes the results of work undertaken to produce and characterize diamond optics suitable for CO₂ lasers.

© 1998 IEEE