Interaction of pulsed CO2 laser radiation with optical materials

Ruediger Schmitt; Manfred Hugenschmidt; L. Geiss; E. Stechele

doi:10.1117/12.204890

31 March 1995 Interaction of pulsed CO2 laser radiation with optical materials

Ruediger Schmitt, Manfred Hugenschmidt, L. Geiss, E. Stechele

Proceedings Volume 2502, Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers: Tenth International Symposium; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.204890
Event: Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers: Tenth International Symposium, 1994, Friedrichshafen, Germany

Abstract

Pulsed high power CO₂-laser irradiation can cause damage to optical materials. Some results obtained at ISL with a repetitively pulsed CO₂-laser with pulse energies up to 24 J are presented in this paper. In production facilities with CO₂-lasers, optics transmitting in the visible spectral range like glass or PMMA are used as protection windows against scattered light. These materials have small skin depths for electromagnetic waves at 10,6 micrometers , typically in the order of some micrometers , so the interaction takes place in thin surface layers. Under high power laser radiation the transparency of the optics is lowered. On the other hand infrared transmitting optics like KCl or ZnSe show a low intrinsic absorption for CO₂-laser radiation. Theoretical estimations matching with the experimental observations showed, however, that strong heating occurs, if a thin layer of inhomogeneities, typically some micrometers thick, is included in the surrounding material with slightly higher absorption than the surrounding lowless material. Under these assumptions the thermally induced stress inside the materials can explain the experimentally observed mechanical damage. Besides these thermal damage effects mechanical momenta are transferred by pulsed laser radiation to the optics. Experimental results as obtained by a ballistic pendulum are reported.

Citation Download Citation

Ruediger Schmitt, Manfred Hugenschmidt, L. Geiss, and E. Stechele "Interaction of pulsed CO2 laser radiation with optical materials", Proc. SPIE 2502, Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers: Tenth International Symposium, (31 March 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.204890

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