Historical perspective on fifteen years of laser damage thresholds at LLNL

We have completed a fifteen-year, referenced and documented compilation of more than 15,000 measurements of laser-induced damage thresholds (LIDT) conducted at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. These measurements cover the spectrum from 248 to 1064 nm with pulse durations ranging from < 1 ns to 65 nm and at pulse-repetition frequencies from single shots to 6.3 kHz. We emphasize the changes in LIDTs during the past two years since we last summarized our database. We relate these results to earlier data concentrating on improvements in processing methods, materials, and conditioning techniques. In particular, we highlight the current status of anti-reflective coatings, high reflectors, polarizers, and frequency-conversion crystals used primarily at 355 nm and 1064 nm.