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The work in this thesis is a study of excimer laser induced damage in optical materials. This includes characterization of the focused laser radiation, development of sensitive techniques for the early detection of laser damage and finally laser damage studies at 193 nm and 248 nm in crystalline materials, metal mirrors and dielectric coatings. Characterization of the focused laser radiation involved pulse energy, temporal pulse profile and spatial profile measurements. This was assisted by development of a laser attenuator using a variable length liquid cell with a dynamic range of 25 dB. Non-linear absorption phenomena were observed in liquids at high intensities. Beam profiling methods were used to show the intensity distribution in the focal region of a lens was reproducible and approximated to a 2-D Gaussian function [continued]…

The thesis describes the establishment of a laser damage facility in the ultra violet. The laser is a pulsed excimer laser (25 n sec) capable of an output energy of 1 Joule at wavelengths of 193, 245, 308, 337 and 351 nm. The problems involved in making reliable damage threshold measurements are addressed, such as energy calibration, beam attenuation, damage detection and temporal and spatial beam profiling. A computer controlled frame store and video system enabling single shot spatial profiling and peak fluence measurements to be performed is described. Such a system is essential if reliable results are to be obtained from lasers whose spatial output cannot be described by a Gaussian. Using the damage facility, work has been performed on single crystal Caf2 laser windows ascertaining the bulk and surface damage thresholds as a function of crystal purity, surface finishing and polishing procedures. The results of a T.E.M. study give an insight into the fundamental damage mechanism of this material to be electron avalanche breakdown. The role of transient primary defects in the bulk breakdown of CaF2 has been investigated using dye laser probe techniques, and indicate that the presence of U.V. generated self trapped excitons, acting as sinks for the conduction band electrons, greatly enhances the damage threshold. Work on coatings using a LIMA (Laser-induced ion mass analyser) is reported and the potential of this machine as a laser damage diagnostic tool is explored.

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abstract: This work explores the application and optimization of laser patterning of dielectrics on textured crystalline silicon for improving the performance of industrial silicon solar cells. Current direct laser patterning processes introduce defects to the surface of the solar cell as a result of the film transparency and the intensity variation of the laser induced by the textured surface. As a means of overcoming these challenges, a co-deposited protective masking film was developed that is directly patterned with laser light at greatly depreciated light intensities that allows for selective chemical etching of the underlying dielectric films without incurring substantial defects to the surface of the device. Initial defects produced by the process are carefully evaluated with electron microscopy techniques and their mechanism for generation is identified and compensated. Further, an analysis of the opening fraction within the laser spot is evaluated –the area of removed film within the laser spot divided by the area of the laser spot– and residue produced by the laser process within the contact opening is studied. Once identified, this non-damaging laser process is a promising alternative to the standard screen print and fire process currently used by industry for metallization of silicon solar cells. Smaller contacts may be made with the laser process that are as of yet unattainable with screen printing, allowing for a decrease in shading losses. Additionally, the use of patterning allows for silver-free metallization and improved conductivity in the contacts, thereby decreasing parasitic losses in the device. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Electrical Engineering 2018

Pagrindinis šio darbo tikslas - eksperimentiškai ir teoriškai išnagrinėti fundamentinius bei technologinius veiksnius, apribojančius dielektrinių dangų optinį atsparumą pasikartojantiems femtosekundinės trukmės lazerio impulsams. Specialiai šiems tyrimams atlikti buvo sukurta automatizuota eksperimentinė įranga, kuri pagreitino pažeidimo slenksčio matavimus ir minimizavo žmogiškąjį faktorių. Darbo metu eksperimentiškai buvo tiriamos tiek vienasluoksnės TiO2, tiek ir didelio atspindžio koeficiento daugiasluoksnės ZrO2/SiO2, HfO2/SiO2, Ta2O5/SiO2 bei TiO2/SiO2 dangos, padengtos skirtingais būdais. Pirmą kartą eksperimentiškai pademonstruota, kad dėl daugiafotonės sugerties įtakos dielektrinių dangų pažeidimo slenkstis, tolydžiai keičiant femtosekundinių impulsų bangos ilgį, kinta šuoliškai. Kartu pademonstruotos ir teorinės šio rezultato prielaidos. Eksperimentiškai pademonstruota, kad didelio atspindžio koeficiento dangose stovinčiosios elektromagnetinės bangos pūpsnius „perstūmus“ į žemesnio lūžio rodiklio sluoksnius padidėja optinis atsparumas ir femtosekundinei lazerinei spinduliuotei. Taip pat eksperimentiškai buvo nustatyti įvairių dangų, dengtų jonapluoščio dulkinimo, elektronpluoščio nusodinimo su papildomu jonų tankinimu ir be jo technologijomis, pažeidimo slenksčiai įvairios trukmės ir įvairių bangos ilgių femtosekundiniams impulsams. Teoriškai išnagrinėtas vadinamojo S-į-1 pažeidimo tikimybės matavimo atvejis, kai lazerinės spinduliuotės erdviniai ir energetiniai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The present Ph.D. thesis is the experimental and theoretical analysis of the femtosecond laser pulse induced damage processes in thin film dielectric coatings. Experimental investigations were performed by automated metrological facility designed for S-on-1 laser-induced damage threshold measurements. Femtosecond repetitive pulses (1 kHz) either at fixed 800 nm and 400 nm wavelengths or continuously tunable in 590 nm to 750 nm spectral range were used. The sensitivity of assembled metrological facility was sufficient to determine the influence of various deposition factors (process parameters and coating materials) on LIDT of optical coatings. Our experimental investigations on multi-layer ZrO2/SiO2, HfO2/SiO2, Ta2O5/SiO2, TiO2/SiO2 high reflection coatings and single-layer TiO2 have yielded several important results. To summarize: stepwise change of LIDT values was experimentally observed at the wavelength where two-photon absorption changes to three-photon absorption. This confirms that multiphoton absorption is one of the main damage mechanisms in femtosecond range. The multilayer coatings deposited by IAD and e-beam techniques on substrates having roughness of 0.64 nm or smaller showed similar LIDT values. Moreover, it was also confirmed that suppressing of standing wave electric field intensity at the outer layers of high refractive index improves the optical resistance of high reflectivity coatings also for femtosecond pulses. Furthermore, the model of the... [to full text]

The present Ph.D. thesis is the experimental and theoretical analysis of the femtosecond laser pulse induced damage processes in thin film dielectric coatings. Experimental investigations were performed by automated metrological facility designed for S-on-1 laser-induced damage threshold measurements. Femtosecond repetitive pulses (1 kHz) either at fixed 800 nm and 400 nm wavelengths or continuously tunable in 590 nm to 750 nm spectral range were used. The sensitivity of assembled metrological facility was sufficient to determine the influence of various deposition factors (process parameters and coating materials) on LIDT of optical coatings. Our experimental investigations on multi-layer ZrO2/SiO2, HfO2/SiO2, Ta2O5/SiO2, TiO2/SiO2 high reflection coatings and single-layer TiO2 have yielded several important results. To summarize: stepwise change of LIDT values was experimentally observed at the wavelength where two-photon absorption changes to three-photon absorption. This confirms that multiphoton absorption is one of the main damage mechanisms in femtosecond range. The multilayer coatings deposited by IAD and e-beam techniques on substrates having roughness of 0.64 nm or smaller showed similar LIDT values. Moreover, it was also confirmed that suppressing of standing wave electric field intensity at the outer layers of high refractive index improves the optical resistance of high reflectivity coatings also for femtosecond pulses. Furthermore, the model of the... [to full text] / Pagrindinis šio darbo tikslas - eksperimentiškai ir teoriškai išnagrinėti fundamentinius bei technologinius veiksnius, apribojančius dielektrinių dangų optinį atsparumą pasikartojantiems femtosekundinės trukmės lazerio impulsams. Specialiai šiems tyrimams atlikti buvo sukurta automatizuota eksperimentinė įranga, kuri pagreitino pažeidimo slenksčio matavimus ir minimizavo žmogiškąjį faktorių. Darbo metu eksperimentiškai buvo tiriamos tiek vienasluoksnės TiO2, tiek ir didelio atspindžio koeficiento daugiasluoksnės ZrO2/SiO2, HfO2/SiO2, Ta2O5/SiO2 bei TiO2/SiO2 dangos, padengtos skirtingais būdais. Pirmą kartą eksperimentiškai pademonstruota, kad dėl daugiafotonės sugerties įtakos dielektrinių dangų pažeidimo slenkstis, tolydžiai keičiant femtosekundinių impulsų bangos ilgį, kinta šuoliškai. Kartu pademonstruotos ir teorinės šio rezultato prielaidos. Eksperimentiškai pademonstruota, kad didelio atspindžio koeficiento dangose stovinčiosios elektromagnetinės bangos pūpsnius „perstūmus“ į žemesnio lūžio rodiklio sluoksnius padidėja optinis atsparumas ir femtosekundinei lazerinei spinduliuotei. Taip pat eksperimentiškai buvo nustatyti įvairių dangų, dengtų jonapluoščio dulkinimo, elektronpluoščio nusodinimo su papildomu jonų tankinimu ir be jo technologijomis, pažeidimo slenksčiai įvairios trukmės ir įvairių bangos ilgių femtosekundiniams impulsams. Teoriškai išnagrinėtas vadinamojo S-į-1 pažeidimo tikimybės matavimo atvejis, kai lazerinės spinduliuotės erdviniai ir energetiniai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Cette thèse entre dans le contexte des études portant sur l’endommagement laser des optiques en silice utilisées sur le Laser MégaJoule (LMJ) au CEA/CESTA. L’étude par spectroscopie de luminescence des défauts présents dans les micro-fractures sous surfaciques des pièces de silice polie, supposés être à l’origine de l’amorçage de l’endommagement laser, a été choisie pour cette recherche. Les micros fractures étant difficiles à détecter, nous avons créé des fractures modèles en faisant des indentations dans la silice. Une comparaison des spectres de luminescence sous excitation à 325 nm, proche de la longueur d’onde utilisée sur le LMJ, entre les indentations et les dommages laser dont l’analyse a donné lieu à des interprétations indiscutables dans la bibliographie, est proposée. Des expériences de luminescence à basse température ou sur des pièces acidées sont présentées pour compléter les informations obtenues sur les différents défauts observés. / Defects present in subsurface damage, supposed to be possible damage precursors, have been studied by luminescence spectroscopy. Because of the difficulty to detect micro cracks, we have selected a model cracks based on indentations. Luminescence spectra performed under a 325 nm excitation wavelength (experimental condition close to that used on the LMJ) are be compared on indentation as well as laser damages. Luminescence experiments at low temperature and on etched samples are reported in order to complete data obtained for the different observed defects.

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No description available.