The intensity distribution of an initially plane light wave incident on planar and conical surface cracks is calculated numerically by using a wave propagation computer code. The results show that light intensity enhancements caused by interference of internal reflections at the crack and the surface are very sensitive to the light polarization, the beam angle of incidence, and the crack geometry (e.g., crack width and orientation with the surface). The light intensity enhancement factor (LIEF) can locally reach 2 orders of magnitude for conical cracks of ideal shape. The electric field direction relative to the crack surfaces determines the light intensity profile around the crack. For normal-incidence illumination on the output surface, total internal reflection at the crack and the surface can occur and leads to higher LIEFs. For identical geometry and illumination conditions, a crack located on the entrance surface of an optic generates electric field enhancements that are weaker than those on the exit surface. As cracks on polished surfaces are randomly oriented, the probability for large intensity enhancements to occur is high. The model is able to predict quantitatively the magnitude of surface laser-induced damage threshold drop and damage propagation enhancement in dielectric materials that are due to cracks.

© 2001 Optical Society of America

[Optical Society of America ]

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Citation lists with outbound citation links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article level metrics are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

Related Journal Articles

• Statistical study of single and multiple pulse laser-induced damage in glasses (OE)
• Polishing-induced contamination of fused silica optics and laser induced damage density at 351 nm (OE)
• Extracting the distribution of laser damage precursors on fused silica surfaces for 351 nm, 3 ns laser pulses at high fluences (20-150 J/cm²) (OE)
• Laser tailoring surface interactions, contact angles, drop topologies and the self-assembly of optical microwires (OME)
• Subsurface defects of fused silica optics and laser induced damage at 351 nm (OE)

Related Conference Papers

• The role of the native oxide on silicon in femtosecond laser damage studies at grazing incidence
• Glass material response to the fabrication process: Example from lapping
• Studies on the ultraviolet-light-induced absorption changes in congruent LiNbO₃:Mg
• Spatial separation of the traveling and evanescent parts of dipole radiation
• Transmission of dipole radiation through interfaces and the phenomenon of anti-critical angles