Laser damage investigation in RbTiOPO4 crystals: a study on the anisotropy of the laser induced damage threshold

Anne Hildenbrand; Frank Wagner; Jean-Yves Natoli; Mireille Commandre; Hervé Albrecht; Fred Theodore

doi:10.1117/12.695532

15 January 2007 Laser damage investigation in RbTiOPO₄ crystals: a study on the anisotropy of the laser induced damage threshold

Anne Hildenbrand, Frank Wagner, Jean-Yves Natoli, Mireille Commandre, Hervé Albrecht, Fred Theodore

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6403, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2006; 64031W (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.695532
Event: Boulder Damage Symposium XXXVIII: Annual Symposium on Optical Materials for High Power Lasers, 2006, Boulder, Colorado, United States

Abstract

Lasers for space applications require miniaturized high power components that can be operated at low voltages. RbTiOPO₄ (RTP) is a highly efficient electro-optical material, which is used in particular for the realization of low voltage and high repetition rate Pockels cells. RTP can be operated in two crystal orientations (x-cut and y-cut). In both cases, the incoming linear polarization is oriented at 45^o to the z-direction. In this study, laser damage is investigated in RTP crystals. More precisely, we focus on the correlation between the laser damage characteristics and the used crystal orientation. The laser damage tests were carried out at 1064 nm with a standard 6 ns Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and the polarization was oriented as for Pockels cell operation at 45^o to the z-axis of the crystals. This work reveals that the Laser Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT) is two times higher for x-cut than for y-cut RTP crystals. Reflection and transmission measurements show that this LIDT anisotropy can not be explained by an evident loss mechanism like Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS).

Citation Download Citation

Anne Hildenbrand, Frank Wagner, Jean-Yves Natoli, Mireille Commandre, Hervé Albrecht, and Fred Theodore "Laser damage investigation in RbTiOPO₄ crystals: a study on the anisotropy of the laser induced damage threshold", Proc. SPIE 6403, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2006, 64031W (15 January 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.695532

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available