Laser-induced damage on K9 surface under nanotosecond irradiation

The lifetime of a laser optics is limited by laser-induced damage and subsequent growth of laser initiated damage area. Morphology and growth of laser-induced damage on polished K9 glass surface and inside of the material have been measured after single-shot laser irradiation at 1 064 nm wavelength and approximately 10 ns pulse duration. Differential interference contrast(DIC) optical microscopy, SEM are used for imaging the damage sites. All of the observed damage is concentrated on the optics surface, and the output surface damage is more visible and serious than input surface. For input surface, plasma produced by laser pulse shields the material and reduces material destruction, symmetrical craterlet and microcrack is produced by ablation effect and laser-supported detonation wave(LSD