A unique dual-beam laser-damage test station has been constructed for testing materials with broadband incoherent radiation. Utilizing a novel optical parametric amplifier-based light source capable of delivering an incoherent bandwidth of up to 10 THz, bulk damage in KDP has been characterized for a number of different bandwidth conditions to help understand the role that the resulting intensity fluctuations play. The results largely suggest that damage mechanisms in KDP do not rely heavily on nonlinear processes and are supported by established models of plasma generation and growth.
Current state-of-the art radiation-hydrodynamic codes do not include the physics involved in the laser-induced solid-to-plasma transition. However, this transition process is understood to significantly impact the resulting ablation and shock front geometry, due to “laser imprint” and “shinethrough.” An experimental system involving synchronized femtosecond and picosecond lasers is developed to initiate and characterize dynamics of planar target materials irradiated by conditions similar to a “picket” prepulse from a direct-drive pulse shape. Ultrafast imaging of the resulting plasma formation, plume expansion, and shock-wave propagation is performed with femtosecond-scale resolution for a polystyrene target. These results may be used to improve future direct-drive experimental and modeling efforts.
The poster will report the Laser Induced Damage Threshold of an amplifier medium immersed in an active cooling system, and with different protocols, as 1on1 and Son1 procedures to evaluate the influence of the cooling system on the laser damage resistance. Some theoretical investigations will also be reported in order to explain the different experimental observations.
In the present work, we investigate the benefits and the drawbacks in using on dual-wavelength double fs-pulse laser irradiation for fused silica processing. Our purpose of this pump-pump experiment is to tune the electron dynamics in order to optimize energy deposition and then to improve ablated volume. We use green wavelength (515 nm) for the first pulse to enhance photo-ionization and near-infrared (1030 nm) for the second pulse to maximize electron heating and impact ionization. The investigated parameters are pulse-to-pulse delay (up to 20 ps), second pulse duration (1 and 10 ps) and total fluence (up to 20 J/cm²). The results will be discussed in terms of ablated volume and optical transmission. We demonstrate that (i) there is an optimum delay and (ii) the ablation behavior is intermediate between green and near-infrared single pulse irradiation. Our results are supported by a numerical model taking into account electron dynamics and absorbed energy density.
Ultrafast laser glass processing is highly interesting for microelectronics and consumer electronics industries. Indeed, ultrafast laser technology has the unique capacity to produce a high-quality surface or bulk modification in dielectric transparent materials thank to nonlinear absorption. However, there is a need to improve both processing quality and throughput in order to meet the industry requirements. Beam shaping, performed by tuning spatial or temporal intensity profile, polarization, fluence, or any other laser parameters, is a smart and flexible technique to achieve this goal. This work is dealing with double fs-pulse laser irradiation of fused silica. Our purpose is to investigate the benefits and the drawbacks in using single and dual-wavelength double fs-pulse laser irradiation of fused silica. The influence of pulse-to-pulse delay (0 to 5 ps), pulse duration of the second pulse (1 ps to 25 ns) and fluence on both removal rate and optical transmission will be discussed.
The deposited energy density (DED) serves as a key parameter in the process of the femtosecond laser pulse energy delivery into the bulk of transparent dielectrics. The laser-induced micromodification can be created if the value of DED exceeds a certain threshold, which is specific for each material and does not depend on the laser wavelength. In this contribution, we present a comprehensive study of the DED evolution with the driving pulse energy and wavelength under femtosecond microstructuring of transparent dielectrics. To precisely determine the laser impact area we applied for the first time a real-time diagnostic of microplasma based on third harmonic generation. This technique gives submicron spatial resolution and is extremely sensitive to the free electron density (about 10-5 of the critical electron density). We found out that the threshold DED equals to approximately 2.5 kJ/cm3 for fused silica and roughly corresponds to excess of glass transition temperature. The highest DED is achieved for the shortest wavelength (620 nm) and equals to 16 kJ/cm3.
Glass processing is a subject of high interest for electronics, watch and consumer electronics industries. The femtosecond laser has unique capacity to produce a high-quality surface or bulk modification in dielectrics transparent materials thanks to nonlinear absorption. Temporal pulse shaping seems to be a smart and flexible solution to further increase the efficiency of this tool. Indeed, since the lifetime of free electrons in the conduction band is about few picoseconds, it is possible to improve ablation efficiency of dieletrics using a double pulse laser irradiation. The principle is to use the first pulse to promote electrons into the conduction band meanwhile the second one induces the ablation of the target material. This study deals with double femtosecond laser pulse radiation of fused silica in order to tune both ablation threshold and removal rate. The time delay between the two pulses is set from 0 to 5 ps owing to a delay line. The results are discussed in terms of optical transmission and ablation efficiency. Our ultrafast laser operates at 1030 nm and has a pulse duration of 480 fs.
We investigated the effect of burstmode with nanosecond (ns) time delay between subpulses on sodalime glass volume machining. We observed in tight focusing configuration that the use of burstmode with ns time delay between subpulses does not increase the absorption efficiency and does not bring a significant effect on the heat affected zone diameter with respect to single pulse mode. On the contrary in loose focusing configuration the use of burst mode allows increasing the aspect ratio of the heat affected zone without extra energy absorption. This effect is highly interesting for filamentation glass cutting applications.
A model simulating transient optical properties during laser damage in the bulk of KDP/DKDP crystals is presented. The
model was developed and tested using as a benchmark its ability to reproduce the well-documented damage initiation
behaviors but most importantly, the salient behavior of the wavelength dependence of the damage threshold. The model
involves two phases. During phase I, the model assumes a moderate localized initial absorption that is strongly enhanced
during the laser pulse via excited state absorption and thermally driven generation of additional point defects in the
surrounding material. The model suggests that during a fraction of the pulse duration, the host material around the defect
cluster is transformed into a strong absorber that leads to significant increase of the local temperature. During phase II,
the model suggests that the excitation pathway consists mainly of one photon absorption events within a quasicontinuum
of short-lived vibronic defect states spanning the band gap that was generated after the initial localized
heating of the material due to thermal quenching of the excited state lifetimes. The width of the transition (steps)
between different number of photons is governed by the instantaneous temperature, which was estimated using the
experimental data. The model also suggests that the critical physical parameter prior to initiation of breakdown is the
conduction band electron density. This model, employing very few free parameters, for the first time is able to
quantitatively reproduce the wavelength dependence of the damage initiation threshold, and thus provides important
insight into the physical processes involved.
The morphology of laser-induced damage sites at the exit surface of fused silica is tightly correlated to the mode
composition of the nanosecond laser pulses at 1064 nm. In the single longitudinal mode (SLM) configuration, a molten
and fractured central zone is surrounded by a funnel-shaped surface modification. Ring patterns surround the damage
sites when these are initiated by multiple longitudinal modes (MLM) laser pulses. In this last mode configuration, the
pulses temporal profiles as well as the damage ring patterns differ from pulse to pulse. The appearance chronology of the
rings is found to be closely related to the temporal shape of the laser pulses. This supports that the damage morphology
originates from the coupling of a laser-supported detonation wave propagating in air with an ablation mechanism in
silica. In our experiments, the propagation speed of the detonation wave reaches about 20 km/s and scales as the cube
root of the laser intensity, in good agreement with theory.
A model explaining a number of experimental observations on nanosecond laser induced damage in KTP is
presented. According to this model the nanosecond laser damage mechanism in KTP is composed of two successive
steps. The generation of transient laser damage precursors by multi-photo absorption and the subsequent heating of
conduction band electrons provided by the damage precursors. The strong synergy of 1064 nm and 532 nm
wavelengths during simultaneous irradiation is quantitatively explained as well as the polarization-dependent
anisotropy of the damage threshold. We further give some details on a multi-pulse irradiation experiment carried out
with verified smooth temporal pulses that confirmed the existence of statistical pseudo-fatigue at 1064 nm.
This paper reports a study on correlation between stress field generated by extensive crystalline defects such as
dislocation or growth boundaries and laser damage. It is found that stress fields decrease laser damage resistance. This result is compatible with the hypothesis that laser damage precursors consist of clusters of punctual defects.
Indeed, such defects are affected by stress fields as their concentration varies in order to minimize the free energy of the crystal. Chemical analysis carried out on one of the crystal tend to show that the punctual defects
involved are intrinsic rather than extrinsic.
Due to its high nonlinear coefficients, KTP (KTiOPO4) is one of the most important nonlinear optical materials for
frequency doubling of Nd:YAG lasers. Former studies suggest a certain cooperativeness of the laser induced damage
mechanism between the 1064 nm and the 532 nm wavelengths present during second harmonic generation. We report on
experiments that allow confirming and quantifying the cooperativeness of the laser damage mechanism in this material
and compare it to known data from KDP. A damage scenario based on the formation of color centers, which are also
responsible for the gray tracking effect, will be presented.
The dynamics of electrons and holes in potassium dihydrogen phosphate ( KH2PO4 or KDP) crystals and its
deuterated analog (KH2PO4 or DKDP) induced by femtosecond laser pulses is investigated at λ = 800nm. To
do so, experiments based on a femtosecond time-resolved interferometry technique have been carried out. It
is shown that two relaxation dynamics exist in KDP and DKDP crystals. In particular, it appears that one
dynamics is associated with the migration of proton/deuteron in the crystalline lattice. Both of the dynamics
correspond to physical mechanisms for which the multiphoton order required to promote valence electrons to
the conduction band is lower than the one of a defect-free crystal. These results suggest the presence of states
located in the band gap that may be due to the presence of defects existing before any laser illumination or
created in the course of interaction. In order to interpret the experiments, a model based on a system of rate
equations has been developed. Modeling results are in good agreement with the experimental data, and allow
one to obtain fundamental physical parameters governing the
laser-matter interaction as multiphoton absorption
cross sections, capture cross sections, recombination times, and so forth. Finally, it will be shown how these
results can be used to the understanding of laser-induced damage by nanosecond pulses in inertial confinement
fusion class laser aperture.
KEYWORDS: Laser induced damage, Crystals, Resistance, High power lasers, Second-harmonic generation, Laser crystals, Frequency converters, Bulk lasers, Diffraction, Frequency conversion
We have laser conditioned a couple of KDP-SHG and DKDP-THG samples thanks to a facility which delivers 6 ns
fundamental (1,053 nm, noted 1ω) pulses, and the harmonics generated by the crystals themselves. The conditioning
ramp has been established according to a model coupling statistics and heat transfer, in order to minimize the generation
of bulk laser damage during the process. Then the efficiency of this procedure has been evaluated for both samples using
two laser damage testing setups, and compared to the best monochromatic conditioning process known to date. For the
KDP-SHG, it appears that this procedure is less efficient than the monochromatic conditioning. But it raises the
resistance to laser damage of the SHG to a level compatible with the use on megajoule-class high power lasers. For the
DKDP-THG, the efficiency of both procedures is quite similar. And even if the conditioned THG still exhibits laser
damage within the range of high power laser working fluences at 351 nm, the density is only a few per mm3.
Nanosecond laser-induced damage (LID) in potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4 or KDP) remains an issue for
light-frequency converters in large-aperture lasers such as NIF (National Ignition Facility, in USA) and LMJ (Laser
MegaJoule, in France). In the final optic assembly, converters are simultaneously illuminated by multiple wavelengths
during the frequency conversion. In this configuration, the damage resistance of the KDP crystals becomes a crucial
problem and has to be improved. In this study, we propose a refined investigation about the LID mechanisms involved in
the case of a multiple wavelengths combination. Experiments based on an original pump-pump set-up have been carried
out in the nanosecond regime on a KDP crystal. In particular, the impact of a simultaneous mixing of 355 nm and 1064
nm pulses has been experimentally studied and compared to a model based on heat transfer, the Mie theory and a Drude
model. This study sheds light on the physical processes implied in the KDP laser damage. In particular, a three-photon
ionization mechanism is shown to be responsible for laser damage in KDP.
Nanosecond Laser-Induced Damage (LID) in potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4 or KDP) remains an
issue for light-frequency converters in large-aperture lasers such as NIF (National Ignition Facility, in USA) and
LMJ (Laser MegaJoule, in France). In the final optic assembly, converters are simultaneously illuminated by
multiple wavelengths during the frequency conversion. In this configuration, the damage resistance of the KDP
crystals becomes a crucial problem and has to be improved. In this study, we propose a refined investigation
about the LID mechanisms involved in the case of a multiple wavelengths combination. Experiments based on an
original pump-pump set-up have been carried out in the nanosecond regime on a KDP crystal. In particular, the
impact of a simultaneous mixing of 355 nm and 1064 nm pulses has been experimentally studied and compared
to a model based on heat transfer, the Mie theory and a Drude model. This study sheds light on the physical
processes implied in the KDP laser damage. In particular, a three-photon ionization mechanism is shown to be
responsible for laser damage in KDP.
The aim of this preliminary study is to provide a simple model for estimating the laser-induced damage formation
in potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals (KH2PO4 or KDP) irradiated by nanosecond laser pulses operating
at 351nm. In our modelling approach, a damaged site is assumed to be induced from a nanometric existing defect,
i.e. a precursor defect. It makes it possible to absorb an important part of the incident laser energy which results
in a damage formation by some processes which combine heating and hydrodynamic processes. In our model,
the main expected features of the damage scenario are accounted for: the defect-assisted laser absorption and
subsequent plasma formation and evolution, the plasma absorption, heat transfer and hydrodynamic processes
via a simple Equation Of State (EOS). In these calculations, a crystal zone is assumed to damage since it
undergoes high enough density variations. Calculations shows that a nanometric precursor defect can effectively
lead to damaged site of several tens of micrometers in size as observed experimentally. Also, we demonstrate
the reliability of the long-standing assumption regarding the precursor defect size. Furthermore, a particular
morphology of the damaged site exhibiting various regions is obtained. These estimates have now to be confirmed
especially by improving the EOS and by introducing an elasto-plastic behavior.
We investigate the influence of THG-cut KDP crystal orientation on laser damage at 1064 nm under nanosecond
pulses. This study makes a connection between precursor defects and the influence of their orientation on the
laser damage. Previous investigations have already been carried out in various crystals and particularly for KDP,
indicating propagation direction and polarization dependences. We performed experiments for two orthogonal
positions of the crystal and results clearly indicate that KDP crystal laser damage depends on its orientation.
We carried out further investigations on the effect of the polarization orientation, by rotating the crystal around
the propagation axis. We then obtained the evolution of the damage probability as a function of the rotation
angle. To account for these experimental results, we propose a model based on heat transfer, the Mie theory
and a Drude model. The geometry of the precursor defects is assumed to be ellipsoid-shaped and we numerically
introduce absorption efficiency calculations for this geometry. Modeling simulations are in good agreement with
experimental results.
When potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals (KH2PO4 or KDP) are illuminated by multi-gigawatt nanosecond
pulses, damages may appear in the crystal bulk. One can increase damage resistance through a conditioning that
consists in carrying out a laser pre-exposure of the crystal. The present paper addresses the modeling of laserinduced
conditioning of KDP crystals. The method is based on heating a distribution of defects, the cooperation
of which may lead to a dramatic temperature rise. The conditioning is assumed to be due to a decrease in
the defect absorption efficiency. Two scenarios associated with various defect natures are proposed and these
account for certain of the observed experimental facts. For instance, in order to improve the crystal resistance
to damage, one needs to use a conditioning pulse duration shorter than the testing pulse. Also, a conditioning
scenario based on the migration of point (atomic-size) defects allows the reproduction of a logarithmic-like
evolution of the conditioning gain with respect to the number of laser pre-exposures. Moreover, this study
aims at refining the knowledge regarding the precursor defects responsible for the laser-induced damage in KDP
crystals. Within the presented modeling, the best candidate permitting the reproduction of major experimental
facts is comprised of a collection of one-hundred-nanometer structural defects associated with point defects as
for instance cracks and couples of oxygen interstitials and vacancies.
Laser damage in KDP crystals has been studied since several years and more accurately with emergence of projects
like LMJ (Laser MégaJoule, in France) or NIF (National Ignition Facility, in US). Laser damage tests are essentially
performed at 351-nm wavelength (3ω), with regards to their optical behaviours on forementioned facilities. But only few
data are available at 1064 nm (1ω) and at 532 nm (2ω), and even with wavelength-mixing more representative of
operational conditions of KDP crystals. So in a first approach, we tried to carry out an identity chart of the crystal by
performing mono-wavelength tests at 1ω, 2ω and 3ω. Then, a campaign of combination of multi-wavelength (typically
3ω and 1ω) tests has been started with several temporal delays between 3ω and 1ω pulses. These first results lead us to
improve pre-existing modelling codes developed by CEA, which have proved their robustness to 3ω -experiment results.
Foremost interests consist in implementing wavelength dependency and energy deposition mechanism as a consequence
of our first observations on KDP.
By coupling statistics and heat transfer, we investigate numerically laser-induced KDP crystal damage by multi-gigawatt nanosecond pulses. Our model is based on the heating of nanometric absorbing defects that may cooperate when they are sufficiently aggregated. In such a case, they induce locally a strong increase of temperature that may lead to a subsequent damage. Statistics is used to evaluate the initial defect cluster size distribution. When the crystal is illuminated, by considering in addition heat transfer processes, this approach allows to predict damage probabilities and the evolution of the damaged sites density as a function of the laser fluence. We show that the scaling law exponent, linking the critical laser fluence to its pulse duration, takes a value close to 0.3 departing from the standard 0.5 value that is in a good agreement with recents experiments. Furthermore, these results indicate that absorbers involved in KDP damage may be associated with a collection of planar defects.
In this paper, we present various laser conditioning experiments which have been performed with KDP SHG and DKDP THG samples. The different conditioning facilities used delivered laser pulses at 351 nm in the nanosecond (from 3 to 12 ns) or in the sub-ns (600 ps) regime. Finally, the efficiency of the various conditioning protocols was compared: 526 nm-6 ns and 351 nm-3 ns damage tests were performed respectively on SHG and THG samples. The results show that laser-conditioning SHG KDP samples at 351 nm either with ns or sub-ns pulses allows reducing the laser damage density so that it becomes consistent with the specification of high power lasers. They also confirm that conditioning THG DKDP samples at 351 nm using sub-ns pulses is more efficient than using ns pulses.
A thermal model is considered to better understand Laser-Induced Damage and conditioning mechanism in
KH2PO4 (KDP) and D2xKH2(1-x)PO4(DKDP) crystals. We mainly focus on two points, the probed volume of
the laser beam and the optimization of the conditioning process. Our predictions are in agreement with recent
experimental data.
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