Wavelength dependent damage thresholds of a bandpass filter under femtosecond laser irradiation

Laser induced damage thresholds of a bandpass filter with TiO₂/SiO₂ coatings are measured, with the laser delivering wavelength tunable, high-repetition rate, and ultrashort pulses. The multiple wavelengths are selected within the transitional region between the filter passband and stopband. A method that scans the sample along the focused laser beam is employed to vary the spot size on the coating and, consequently, change the fluence. The damage is detected by both a CCD camera and by monitoring the transmitted power simultaneously. During the experiment, an increase in the filter transmission was observed prior to damage occurrence. We demonstrate that damage induced on the coating by the high repetition rate, femtosecond pulses is governed by macroscopic thermal behavior rather than by critical free electron density in the conduction band. In addition, the process of energy deposition is determined by intrinsic nature of the coating materials. Further analysis indicates that the thresholds as a function of wavelength are determined by the combination of the properties of TiO₂, interference field in the coating stack, and thermal effects. Moreover, we attribute the observed increase in the coating transmission to these thermal effects rather than ionization processes.