Study of the picosecond laser damage in HfO2/SiO2-based thin-film coatings in vacuum

The laser damage thresholds of various HfO 2 /SiO 2 -based thin film coatings, including multilayer dielectric (MLD) gratings and high reflectors of different designs, prepared by E-beam and Plasma Ion Assisted Deposition (PIAD) methods, were investigated in vacuum, dry nitrogen, and after air-vacuum cycling. Single and multiple-pulse damage thresholds and their pulse-length scaling in the range of 0.6 to 100 ps were measured using a vacuum damage test station operated at 1053nm. The E-beam deposited high reflectors showed higher damage thresholds with square-root pulse-length scaling, as compared to PIAD coatings, which typically show slower power scaling. The former coatings appeared to be not affected by air/vacuum cycling, contrary to PIAD mirrors and MLD gratings. The relation between 1-on-1 and N-on-1 damage thresholds was found dependent on coating design and deposition methods.