Comparison of experimental results and numerical analysis of multicell stepped limiters

The application of a numerical algorithm to the design procedure of a multi-cell limiter (MCL) is discussed and calculated numerical results are compared to experimental results. This application illustrates the ability to predict optical limiting under circumstances that are comparable to the design process of a MCL. Both the optical limiting and the temperature profile through the MCL are determined for three design cases. Also, the numerical analysis is used to investigate thermal damage using the calculated temperature profile. The results illustrate the potential application of a numerical simulation in designing a MCL and that the accuracy of the numerical model is on the same order as the experimental uncertainties.