LASER DAMAGE STUDY OF THIN FILMS
Abstract
Damage to optical surfaces and materials is often experienced in high intensity laser beams. The threshold values above which this damage occurs are of interest for both optical engineering and theoretical purposes. In the present work energy density thresholds were determined for single quarterwave and halfwave films vacuum evaporated on glass and quartz substrates. Using a 6 microsec. ruby laser pulse films of the following dielectric materials were studied: ThF4, MgF2, Al2O3, 5NaF.3AlF3, SiO2, ZrO2, TiO2, CeO2 and ZnS. aluminum and Inconel films were also included. The latter were found to have thresholds around .05 joules/sq cm, whereas thresholds for the dielectrics covered the range from 50 down to 0.5 joules/sq cm, roughly in the sequence of the preceding listing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0633554
Entities
People
- A. F. Turner
- John V. Becker
- W. F. Coombs