Hot images induced by arrayed mechanical defects in high-power laser system with cascaded medium

Abstract

In optical components manufacturing processes, arrayed striplike, quadrate, or circinate mechanical defects may remain on the surfaces of the optical components, which would cause corresponding modulations of the beams propagating in a high-power laser system. Such modulations caused by arrayed mechanical defects would ultimately induce corresponding hot images downstream. Based on the diffraction theory model for hot image formation, we present some numerical simulation results on the hot images induced by several types of such arrayed mechanical defects in a high-power laser system with a cascaded medium. We also discuss the dependence of the peak intensity and location of the hot images on the parameters in the case of arrayed striplike mechanical defects.