Damage formation on fused silica illuminated with ultraviolet-infrared femtosecond pulse pairs

Xiaoming Yu; Zenghu Chang; Paul B. Corkum; Shuting Lei

doi:10.1117/12.2182633

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12 May 2015 Damage formation on fused silica illuminated with ultraviolet-infrared femtosecond pulse pairs

Xiaoming Yu, Zenghu Chang, Paul B. Corkum, Shuting Lei

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Proceedings Volume 9511, Damage to VUV, EUV, and X-ray Optics V; 95110C (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2182633
Event: SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics, 2015, Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract

We investigate damage formation on the surface of fused silica by two femtosecond laser pulses, a tightly focused 266 nm (UV) pulse followed by a loosely focused 800 nm (IR) pulse. We show that the damage size is determined by the UV pulse, and only a small fraction of the normal UV damage threshold energy is needed to cause damage when combined with the properly delayed IR pulse. Our results, analyzed with a rate equation model, suggest that the UV pulse generates seed electrons through multiphoton absorption and the IR pulse utilizes these electrons to cause damage by avalanche ionization. By tuning such parameters like pulse energy, time delay, IR pulse duration and polarization, we further demonstrate that damage profile can be controlled.

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Xiaoming Yu, Zenghu Chang, Paul B. Corkum, and Shuting Lei "Damage formation on fused silica illuminated with ultraviolet-infrared femtosecond pulse pairs", Proc. SPIE 9511, Damage to VUV, EUV, and X-ray Optics V, 95110C (12 May 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2182633

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