Enhancing Laser Damage Resistance of Co2+:MgAl2O4 Crystal by Plasma Etching
Source abstract
Abstract
Co2+:MgAl2O4 crystals are successfully used as passive Q-switches within the cavity of erbium glass lasers. Their limited resistance to laser radiation might also put constraints on the generated output peak power. Usually, polishing of optical substrates induces a contaminated Beilby layer and damages the subsurface layer, which leads to a considerably lower optical resistance of the obtained surface. Low-energy oxygen plasma etching using different depths of 50, 100, 250 and 400 nm was performed on polished crystals. The surface morphology by atomic force microscopy, transmission spectra, subsurface structure by transmission electron microscopy and the LIDT (R(1)-in-1) using 1540 nm nanosecond pulses were analyzed. It was demonstrated that plasma etching substantially increased the initial crystal surface LIDT. It also allowed the removal of the damaged subsurface layer and almost maintained the initial surface roughness. The presented results demonstrated the good potential of oxygen plasma etching for obtaining highly laser-damage-resistant Co2+:MgAl2O4 crystals for high-power laser applications.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Laser Material Processing Techniques · Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma · Advanced Surface Polishing Techniques
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Optical Coatings Laboratory, Department of Laser Technologies, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Savanorių Ave. 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania
Department of Characterization of Materials Structure, Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Saulėtekio Ave. 3, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
Funding
European Social Fund
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