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A major preoccupation for the design of the LMJ laser is the mirrors laser damage threshold. SAGEM SA, in collaboration with the CEA, has conducted a study in order to improve the laser induced damage threshold under operational conditions.

Thick germanium carbide (GeC) and boron phosphide (BP) films are successfully grown on various zinc sulfide and germanium substrates at temperatures up to 450 degree(s)C by reactive radio-frequency sputtering (RRFS). The sputtering conditions are respectively a germanium target within a medium of methane-argon for GeC films and a high density boron target in a sputtering medium of phosphine-argon for BP films. The rain erosion resistance of GeC and BP films protected or not by diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating on top are measured for water drop diameter of 1.2 mm or 2 mm with an impact velocity ranging from 210 m/s to 265 m/s on the Saab-Scania whirling-arm rig facilities (Linkoping, Sweden). Rain erosion resistance of BP films for a wavelength band in the 8 micrometers to 10 micrometers range shows no damage for a speed up to 250 m/s with an exposure time up to 10 min, whereas the GeC rain erosion resistance shows no damage up to 235 m/s for the same exposure time. The transmission of each film is well correlated to its optical absorption at 10.6 micrometers . The GeC absorption can be reduced down to 40 cm-1 whereas the BP absorption stays around 220 cm-1 for sputtered films. So the compromise between the optical performance and the rain erosion resistance can be achieved by the use of GeC or BP films.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.