Implications of nanoabsorber initiators for damage probability curves, pulselength scaling and laser conditioning

Laser damage of large optics initiates at material imperfections. Absorbers of very small, nanoscale size are possible initiators. We will analyze experimental implications of assuming that the damage is initiated by a size distribution of nanoabsorbers. We will demonstrate that the model predicts damage fluence pulselength scaling consistent with experiment. The size distribution of nanoabsorbers is related to the resulting damage site density and to the shape of the damage probability curve (S-curve). Conditioning of KDP crystals can be explained within the same model. The relative efficiency of various conditioning strategies is discussed.