We will present our recent advances in identifying, understanding, and suppressing ns laser damage precursors in IBS produced dielectric films under UV, pulsed laser exposure. Model systems of single layer, layer pairs, and MLD coatings of silica, hafnia, scandia, and alumina were investigated. Through materials characterization, laser damage testing and simulations, we revealed that entrapped nanobubbles were important low fluence laser damage precursors. We further demonstrated that the identified precursors could be suppressed by either post low pressure thermal annealing or the manipulation of deposition process including using different sputtering gases to achieve ns UV-laser damage resistant dielectric coatings.
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