Ultrashort Laser-Driven Stable-Buckling Of Blisters In Chirped Mirror

Multilayer dielectric mirrors (niobium pentoxide/silica) were irradiated by single 800 nm-38fs laser pulses. A circular blister feature appeared in the chirped mirrors at a wide range of laser fluence, while only existed above a few percent of the damage threshold for the high-reflector. Absorptive source of laser energy can be determined by combining theoretical simulation with focused ion beam technology. Mechanical analysis with a linear-elastic buckling model reveals the blister evolution belonging to a stable-buckling process until the blister radius confined by limited laser spot size. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4794015]