New Expedited Approach to Evaluate the Importance of Different Crystal Growth Parameters on Laser Damage Performance in KDP and DKDP

摘要

In this work, we investigate the laser-induced damage resistance at 355 nm in DKDP crystals grown with varying growth parameters, including temperature, speed of growth and impurity concentration. In order to perform this work, a DKDP crystal was grown over 34 days by the rapid-growth technique with varied growth conditions. By using the same crystal, we are able to isolate growth-related parameters affecting LID from raw material or other variations that are encountered when testing in different crystals. The objective is to find correlations of damage performance to growth conditions and reveal the key parameters for achieving DKDP material in which the number of damage initiating defects is reduced. This approach can lead to reliable and expedite information regarding the importance of different crystal growth parameters on the laser damage characteristics of these crystals.