Luminescence, absorption and morphology studies of laser-damage sites in silica glasses and coatings
Abstract
The analysis of modifications induced by laser damage in optical materials is important for understanding the damage process. In this work, we study the morphological and structural modifications induced by a nano-second pulsed laser (355 and 1064nm) on fused silica samples (Suprasil, Herasil) and silica thin films (deposited by IP, IAD, EBD, IAD). The morphological changes are analyzed using optical microscopy, optical 3D surface profiler. The absorption modifications are measured by photothermal microscopy with a micronic resolution. Luminescence (excited at 244nm) mappings are also performed on damage sites and the luminescence spectra analyzed. Based on these measurements, we study the different laser damage step that we have identified: initiation by absorbing nanoscale defects, heating of the defect and the surrounding matrix, modification of the surrounding material that becomes absorbing, and macroscopic damage at final. We identify and spatially resolve several kinds of defects induced by catastrophic breakdown and we also discuss the observed structural changes on damage sites, taking into account the physical processes involved.