Laser conditioning of LaF3/MgF2 dielectric coatings at 248 nm

Highly reflective LaF3/MgF2 systems for a wavelength of 248 nm on MgF2 and crystalline quartz substrates were investigated. The influence of laser conditioning on damage threshold and absorptance was remarkable in those coatings that had a high initial absorptance. Monitoring with a laser calorimeter revealed the conditioning effect to be a function of the irradiation dose rather than of energy density or pulse rate. Furthermore, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy investigations showed that conditioning induces stoichiometric and structural changes in the multilayers, especially in near-surface sublayers, whereas scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy investigated that the surface remains unchanged.