title: Laser induced damage of fused silica polished optics due to a droplet forming organic contaminant.
abstract: We report on the effect of organic molecular contamination on single shot laser induced damage density at the wavelength of 351 nm, with a 3 ns pulse length. Specific contamination experiments were made with dioctylphthalate (DOP) in liquid or gaseous phase, on the surface of fused silica polished samples, bare or solgel coated. Systematic laser induced damage was observed only in the case of liquid phase contamination. Different chemical and morphological characterization methods were used to identify and understand the damage process. We demonstrate that the contaminant morphology, rather than its physicochemical nature, can be responsible for the decrease of laser induced damage threshold of optics.
authors.affiliation: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique/Centre d'Etudes Scientifiques et Techniques d'Aquitaine, BP2, Le Barp 33114, France. karelle.bien-aime@cea.fr
authors.forename: Karell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bien-Aimé
authors.forename: Jérome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Néauport
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tovena-Pecault
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fargin
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Labrugère
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Belin
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Couzi