Laser-induced damage in transparent dielectrics: The relationship between surface damage and surface plasmas

1 September 1972

journal article
Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics

Vol. 8 (9) , 749-754
https://doi.org/10.1109/jqe.1972.1077285

Abstract

A number of experiments are described in which entrance and exit surface laser-induced damage on sapphire samples are studied. Damage thresholds are measured as a function of beam size and divergence at the surfaces. Temporal evolution of surface plasmas is studied using a streaking camera, and spatial differentiation of surface plasmas is accomplished by allowing the light to strike the surfaces away from normal incidence. It is found that the entrance surface has two plasma components, an air plasma that is directed along the light beam and an "explosion" plasma that is directed normal to the surface. The exit surface has only the explosion plasma. It is concluded that surface plasmas are a result rather than a cause of surface damage.

Keywords

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:

Nd: YAG laser-irradiation-induced damage to LiNbO3and KDP
IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, 1971
LASER-INDUCED DAMAGE TO TRANSPARENT DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
Applied Physics Letters, 1964
Radiation Scattered from the Plasma Produced by a Focused Ruby Laser Beam
Physical Review Letters, 1964