Comparison of ns and sub-ns laser conditioning of KDP and DKDP crystals for high power lasers

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.

[1]  M. Feit,et al.  Laser-induced damage in deuterated potassium dihydrogen phosphate. , 2003, Applied optics.

[2]  Laurent Lamaignère,et al.  Self-focusing and surface damage in fused-silica windows of variable thickness with UV nanosecond pulses , 2004, SPIE Laser Damage.

[3]  Jarboe,et al.  UCRL-PROC-216743 Wavelength and pulselength dependence of laser conditioning and bulk damage in doubler-cut KH 2 PO 4 , 2005 .

[4]  S G Demos,et al.  Expedited laser damage profiling of KDxH(2-x)PO4 with respect to crystal growth parameters. , 2006, Optics letters.

[5]  Tadashi Kanabe,et al.  Optical properties of rapidly grown KDP crystal improved by thermal conditioning , 1997 .

[6]  Guillaume Duchateau,et al.  A model of laser-induced damage of KDP based on the coupling of statistics and heat transfer , 2007, SPIE Laser Damage.

[7]  J. L. Bourgade,et al.  The Laser Mégajoule (LMJ) Project dedicated to inertial confinement fusion: Development and construction status , 2005 .

[8]  S G Demos,et al.  Investigation of laser annealing parameters for optimal laser-damage performance in deuterated potassium dihydrogen phosphate. , 2005, Optics letters.

[9]  Laurent Lamaignère,et al.  Filamentation and surface damage in fused silica with single-mode and multi-mode pulses , 2005, SPIE Laser Damage.

[10]  James J. De Yoreo,et al.  Thermal and laser conditioning of production and rapid growth KDP and KD*P crystals , 1994, Laser Damage.

[11]  Guillaume Duchateau,et al.  Coupling statistics and heat transfer to study laser-induced crystal damage by nanosecond pulses. , 2007, Optics express.

[12]  Patricia Volto,et al.  Self-focusing and rear surface damage in a fused silica window at 1064 nm and 355 nm , 2003, SPIE Laser Damage.

[13]  Michael D. Feit,et al.  Results of sub-nanosecond laser-conditioning of KD2PO4 crystals , 2006, SPIE Laser Damage.

[14]  L. Lamaignère,et al.  Laser conditioning of KDP crystals using excimer and Nd:YAG lasers , 2006, SPIE Laser Damage.

[15]  Michael D. Feit,et al.  Pulse length dependence of laser conditioning and bulk damage in KD2PO4 , 2005, SPIE Laser Damage.

[16]  Jean-Christophe Poncetta,et al.  Growth and characterization of large KDP crystals for high power lasers , 2007 .