Study on the mechanism of laser-induced breakdown and damage performance of internal defects in transparent materials through local optical field modulation

Abstract

This paper establishes a photothermal damage model for bubble impurities affecting laser optical field modulation based on Mie scattering theory and incorporates the effects of optical field modulation. This model elucidates the evolution mechanism of synergistic damage in fused silica, with simulation results validated through experimental verification. A novel characterization of optical breakdown due to bubble impurities is proposed, occurring on a millisecond timescale through the dynamic evolution of combustion waves. The model delineates the influence of bubble size and spacing on optical field distribution, temperature, stress distribution, and their evolutionary behaviors. The modulation of the optical field due to double bubble impurities creates a localized “hot spot,” resulting in a differential transverse contraction stress at the edges of the bubble impurities, thereby reducing the damage threshold of fused silica. The spacing of 1.1 λ represents the enhancement node for optical field modulation by double bubble impurities. Furthermore, localized oscillations in the optical field arise when the spacing between the double bubbles exceeds 1.1 λ, attributed to changes in the refractive index at the bubble defects and resonance oscillations generated by optical field modulation. This study not only enhances our understanding of the optical field modulation processes occurring at 1064 nm in the presence of bubble defects but also establishes a theoretical foundation for detecting internal defects at this wavelength without inducing surface damage.