<title>Measurement of optical material absorption coefficients</title>

Abstract

The proposed technique is targeted at high accuracy measurement of absorbing ability of optical materials with use of laser interferometer calorimetry. The mathematical model of estimating of thermal fields, which arise in a sample at partial absorption of powerful laser radiation allows us to divide influence of coefficients of superficial and volumetric absorption Using the high capacity CO-laser for material heating makes it possible to reach measurement sensitivity of (1W3 ÷ 10') cm' of measuring of absorption coefficients of optically transparent materials. The separation of superficial and volumetric absorption allows to test quality of processing of optical elements, and thus, to predict beam durability of materials, avoiding to their physical destruction.