Laser Damage in Dielectric Coatings--Identification of Inclusions as the Limiting Damage Mechanism and First Observation of Intrinsic Damage in Dielectric Coatings

Abstract : Inclusion damage due to metallic or highly absorbing inclusions has been conclusively identified as the practical limitation in the threshold for laser-induced dielectric film damage at the wavelength 0.69 micrometer. The predicted 'pulse duration-inclusion size' relationship has been observed. It has been shown that linear absorption is not a limiting damage mechanism when films are properly prepared from materials which do not shown bulk absorption. The first verified observation of intrinsic damage in dielectric films is discussed.