Combined advanced finishing and UV laser conditioning process for producing damage resistant optics

• Main Authors: MENAPACE JOSEPH A, PENETRANTE BERNARDINO M, MILLER PHILIP E, PETERSON JOHN E, PARHAM THOMAS G, NICHOLS MICHAEL A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 26.07.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES, OR VITREOUSENAMELS; CHEMISTRY; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH ISMODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THEDEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY,COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g.SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING; DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING; GLASS; GRINDING; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS; MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING; METALLURGY; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; POLISHING; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS,MINERALS OR SLAGS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS; TECHNIQUES OR PROCEDURES FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF; TRANSPORTING

A method for reducing the density of sites on the surface of fused silica optics that are prone to the initiation of laser-induced damage, resulting in optics which have far fewer catastrophic defects, and are better capable of resisting optical deterioration upon exposure to a high-power laser beam.