An overview on laser damage performance of current AR-coated windows at 343 nm and ultrashort pulses

For most of the laser applications is optics equipped with antireflective coatings must. Therefore, laser damage resistance and stability at high energies of used components is a key performance limiting factor at the large portion of the user cases. In UV region, issue of laser damage is particularly enhanced as many optical materials tends to degrade at longer exposure and any contamination may accelerate that. In the following paper will be disseminated laser damage performance of selected commercially available optical windows equipped with AR coatings, designed for high-power lasers in UV region. Damage threshold measured with mm-size laser beam will be compared and influence of the long exposure to ultrashort pulses will be considered.