Abstract

Standard damage testing of multilayer dielectric optical coatings for use at 1.06 μm, typically using 100x optical microscopy, indicates that damage often initiates at microscopic defects in the coatings. These defects are known to be μm-scale nodules formed as a result of self-shadowing effects at particulate seeds deposited during the coating deposition process. It has been demonstrated that the damage threshold of these coatings can often be increased by factors of 2 or more by first illuminating the coatings at lower fluences. This pre-illumination process, called laser conditioning, is being used to increase the damage threshold of coatings for advanced laser systems being developed for Inertial Confinement Fusion research.[1]

© 1995 Optical Society of America