Bulk Laser Damage Threshold of Optical Glasses

Modern pulsed laser applications cover a broad range of wavelength, power and pulse widths. Beam guiding optics in laser systems do not only have specific requirements on the imaging quality but also have to withstand high laser powers. The laser damage threshold of an optical component depends on the surface (polishing, coating ..) but also on the bulk material properties. Actual values of bulk laser damage thresholds of optical glasses are rarely found in literature, except for fused silica which is known as a key optical material for components in high power laser. Nevertheless, the material is rather expensive and limited in optical properties. That is the reason why customers often ask for laser damage threshold data of optical glasses. Therefore SCHOTT has started a project for the characterization of the bulk laser damage threshold of optical glasses over the wavelengths 532 nm and 1064 nm with pulse lengths in the nano- and pico-second range. In this presentation the measurement approach will be described and first results will be presented.