The Dirt on Cleaning Optics
The reason for cleaning an optical element is to improve performance. Proper materials, techniques and handling procedures should be used to minimize the risk of damage.
Emily Kubacki, CVI Laser LLC
Anyone who has worn glasses or driven a car knows the detrimental effects of dirt on the performance of a lens or window. The effects can be more serious in optics setups that involve laser radiation.
Contaminants, whether on a coating or on the substrate surface, can absorb laser energy, leading to damage to the coating or its interface with the substrate. Studies have shown that the cleaning process alone can cause variations in the laser damage threshold of a coated part by 25 to 75 percent. It is easy to see why cleaning, coating and packaging in a cleanroom environment are so important to both the lifetime and performance of optics...
The complete article appears in the March 2006 issue of Photonics Spectra. If you do not have a copy of this issue,
e-mail us a request. Be sure to include your street address or fax number.