Morphologies of laser-induced damage in hafnia-silica multilayer mirror and polarizer coatings

Hafnium-silica multilayer mirrors and polarizers were deposited by e-beam evaporation onto BK7 glass substrates. The mirrors and polarizers were coated for operation at 1053 nm at 45 degree and at Brewster's angle (56 degree), respectively. They were tested with a single 3-ns laser pulse. Morphology of the laser-induced damage was characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Four distinct damage morphologies were found: pits, flatbottom pits, scalds, and delaminates. The pits and flat bottom pits (<30μm dia) were detected at lower fluences (as low as 5 J/cm2). The pits seemed to result from ejection of nodular defects by causing local enhancement of the electric field. Scalds and delaminates could be observed at higher fluences (above 13 J/cm2) and seemed to result from the formation of plasmas on the surface. These damage types often originated at pits and were less than 300 μm diameter; their size increased almost linearly with fluence. Finally, effects of the damage on the beam (reflectivity degradation and phase modulations) were measured