SINGLE-SHOT MEASUREMENT OF LASER-INDUCED DAMAGE THRESHOLDS OF THIN-FILM COATINGS

A novel method for single-shot measurements of laser-induced damage th reshold of thin film coatings is presented. Using a binary mask a lase r beam is transformed into an ensemble of Gaussian-like spots at the p osition of the test sample. Comparing this fluence map with the observ ed damage on the sample, the damage threshold of the thin film of the sample can be calculated using the data of only a single shot. (C) 199 8 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.