Diffractive effects in an internally cooled window

Abstract

Diffraction effects produced by internally liquid cooled silicon windows have been characterized. Experimental point-spread function data for three window designs are presented. Measurements were made using a single wavelength (3.39 tim) laser as well as a broadband blackbody source operating at various temperatures. From these data, angular distribution of energy and the ratio between the contained energy of the central and higher order lobes were derived. Comparisons to analytically generated curves show excellent agreement.