Experimental design of pulsed CO2 laser damage threshold testing at the high-energy laser systems test facility

摘要

Experimental laser damage threshold tests were designed and successfully carried out at the High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility utilizing the Pulsed Laser Vulnerability Test System against optical components from a tactical weapon system in a simulated battlefield environment. The objectives of the experimental tests were to measure laser fluence levels corresponding to minimum damage, maximum functional degradation, and catastrophic damage against the various optical components positioned in a laboratory environment and at a downrange test site (approximate propagation distance of 692 meters). The experimental testing was also designed to investigate laser damage threshold fluence levels over a wide range of laser operating conditions and test parameters. This paper describes in detail the design and experimental configuration of the laser damage threshold tests recently conducted at HELSTF. The results of the experimental tests are not included in this paper.