Study of dust-pollution-induced laser damage on fused silica surface

We report the experiment results of the study on dust pollution initiated damage in optical component of the ICF facility and evaluate the influence of this kind damage on other optical component. Dust caused by laser-induced damage in optical component in vacuum environment at the high power laser facility was collected with fused silica flat optics. The transmission change of the dust polluted optics was observed and analyzed. The damage probability of the dust polluted optics was tested by s-on-1 method using pulsed Nd-YAG solid laser. Results showed that dust polluted sol-gel anti-reflection film coated fused silica optics exhibited lower transmission and higher damage probability than the naked fused silica flat optics. Besides, the dust particle on the input surface will cause severer damage than on the output surface.