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Characterization of scandium oxide thin films for use in interference coatings for high-power lasers operating in the near-infrared

dc.contributor.authorKrous, Erik M., author
dc.contributor.authorMenoni, Carmen S., advisor
dc.contributor.authorMarconi, Mario C., committee member
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, John D., committee member
dc.date.accessioned2007-01-03T05:44:44Z
dc.date.available2007-01-03T05:44:44Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.descriptionDepartment Head: Anthony A. Maciejewski.
dc.description.abstractThe work presented in this thesis aims to investigate scandium oxide (scandia), deposited using dual ion beam sputtering, as a high-index material for interference coatings to be implemented in high-power lasers. Ion beam sputtered scandia coatings have the potential to allow for the power scaling of high-power lasers operating in the near-infrared. Ion beam sputtering is the technique currently used by many commercial companies to produce low-loss, high-damage-threshold coatings required by lasers operating with high fluences. The development of scandia, and other thin film materials, requires the reduction of defects in the material through modification of growth processes and post deposition treatment. Material defects give rise to absorption of laser light and laser induced damage initiation sites. The growth parameter investigated in this work is the oxygen partial pressure in the deposition chamber during the reactive sputtering process of a metal Sc target to form Sc2O3. The film properties are sensitive to the oxygen partial pressure. At 2 μTorr oxygen partial pressure, the films are metallic and highly absorbing with an absorption, at λ = 1.064 μm, of > 104 ppm. The absorption decreases to 10 ppm at 5 μTorr oxygen partial pressure and at 38 μTorr, the absorption reaches a value of 35 ppm. This, along with the increase in absorption near the optical band edge, suggests an increase in shallow-type defect concentrations for increasing oxygen partial pressures. The observed defects contain unpaired electrons, as assessed by electron paramagnetic measurements, that have a paramagnetic absorption signal with principle g-values [gxx, gyy, gzz] = [2.018, 2.019, 2.058]. Generally, the concentration of the paramagnetic species increased with increasing oxygen partial pressure. These spin defects are possibly O2̅ interstitials in the deposited films. These defects contribute to an approximately 40% increase in the film stress observed in x-ray diffraction measurements and measurements of stress-induced fused silica substrate curvature.
dc.format.mediummasters theses
dc.identifier2010_Summer_Krous_Erik.pdf
dc.identifierETDF2010200005ECEN
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10217/41258
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.titleCharacterization of scandium oxide thin films for use in interference coatings for high-power lasers operating in the near-infrared
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineElectrical and Computer Engineering
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (M.S.)

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