In Search of High-Power Optics

Dr. Joseph S. Hayden

Advances in high-power and high-energy laser systems have made available power densities in excess of 10⁹ W/cm². At such power levels, a number of damage mechanisms can lead to permanent changes in the optical quality of a material. These changes may occur at a surface or within bulk material, and they can render an optic unusable and/or alter the transmitted beam profile so as to place downstream components in an optical system at increased risk for damage.

The inherent physics of laser damage and the limitations in manufacturing capability determine how far we can push optical materials…