Characteristics of 355nm Laser Damage in KDP and DKDP Crystals

We present the characteristics of bulk damage induced by the third harmonic of Nd:YAG laser irradiation in KDP and DKDP crystals. Bulk damage occurs as a few or a series of pinpoints consisting of a core and the deforming zone. The results of a 1-on-1 test reveal that the pinpoint size increases with incvreasing fluence, and the pinpoint density increases exponentially with increasing fluence. The results of an s-on-1 test indicate that the pinpoint density increases gradually with laser pulse number, but the size does not grow. These results are consistent with a model in which nanoabsorbers are assumed to exist in the crystal and the initiation of damage is determined by heating them to the critical temperature.