Volume holographic gratings and ion-etched dielectric diffraction gratings have been designed with the goal of improving the efficiency and damage threshold when used in CPA laser compression scheme. Two damage threshold measurement techniques have been implemented, including one method based on the statistical distribution of damage fluences. We first tested samples with submillimeter laser spots in the subpicosecond regime. We could demonstrate large sample gratings in a complete CPA configuration with over 96% efficiency per pass and a damage threshold twice the one observed on gold coated gratings.

Date Published: 12 April 2001
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 4347, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2000, (12 April 2001); doi: 10.1117/12.425038

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4347:
Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2000
Gregory J. Exarhos; Arthur H. Guenther; Mark R. Kozlowski; Keith L. Lewis; M. J. Soileau, Editor(s)