Laser cavity mirror preparation using sol-gel chemistry and laminar-flow coating technique

Philippe F. Belleville; Philippe M. Pegon

doi:10.1117/12.354240

23 July 1999 Laser cavity mirror preparation using sol-gel chemistry and laminar-flow coating technique

Philippe F. Belleville, Philippe M. Pegon

Proceedings Volume 3492, Third International Conference on Solid State Lasers for Application to Inertial Confinement Fusion; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.354240
Event: Third International Conference on Solid State Lasers for Application to Inertial Confinement Fusion, 1998, Monterey, CA, United States

Abstract

The CEA/DAM megajoule-class pulsed Nd:glass laser devoted to Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) research will require 240 cavity-end mirrors. The approved laser design necessitates 44cm X 44cm X 6cm highly-reflective (HR)-coated substrates representing more than 50m² of coated area. Prototypes of these dielectric mirrors were prepared with interference quarterwave stacks of SiO₂ and ZrO₂-PVP thin films starting from sol-gel colloidal suspensions. Low reflective index materials was based on nanosized silica particles and high refractive index coating solution was made of a composite system. The colloidal/polymeric ratio in the composite system has been optimized regarding refractive index value, laser damage threshold and chemical interactions have been studied using FTIR spectroscopy. A promising deposition technique so-called 'Laminar Flow Coating' has been associated to sol-gel chemistry for HR laser damage-resistant sol-gel coating development. This novel coating method confirmed its main advantages compared to dipping or spinning processes: coating large flat square substrates at room temperature with small solution consumption, good thickness uniformity, weak edge-effects, induced stress-free coating, good optical properties and laser damage resistance.

Citation Download Citation

Philippe F. Belleville and Philippe M. Pegon "Laser cavity mirror preparation using sol-gel chemistry and laminar-flow coating technique", Proc. SPIE 3492, Third International Conference on Solid State Lasers for Application to Inertial Confinement Fusion, (23 July 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.354240

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