Abstract

This paper describes some observations of pulsed laser damage to optical fibers with emphasis on a damage mode characterized as a linear fracture along the outer core of a fiber. Damage threshold data are presented which illustrate the effects of the focusing lens, end-surface preparation, and type of fiber. An explanation based on fiber-beam misalignment is given and is illustrated by a simple experiment and ray trace.

© 1985 Optical Society of America

Bulk and surface laser damage of silica by picosecond and nanosecond pulses at 1064 nm

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