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Atikian HA, Sinclair N, Latawiec P, Xiong X, Meesala S, Gauthier S, Wintz D, Randi J, Bernot D, DeFrances S, Thomas J, Roman M, Durrant S, Capasso F, Lončar M. Diamond mirrors for high-power continuous-wave lasers. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2610. [PMID: 35545622 PMCID: PMC9095672 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30335-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
High-power continuous-wave (CW) lasers are used in a variety of areas including industry, medicine, communications, and defense. Yet, conventional optics, which are based on multi-layer coatings, are damaged when illuminated by high-power CW laser light, primarily due to thermal loading. This hampers the effectiveness, restricts the scope and utility, and raises the cost and complexity of high-power CW laser applications. Here we demonstrate monolithic and highly reflective mirrors that operate under high-power CW laser irradiation without damage. In contrast to conventional mirrors, ours are realized by etching nanostructures into the surface of single-crystal diamond, a material with exceptional optical and thermal properties. We measure reflectivities of greater than 98% and demonstrate damage-free operation using 10 kW of CW laser light at 1070 nm, focused to a spot of 750 μm diameter. In contrast, we observe damage to a conventional dielectric mirror when illuminated by the same beam. Our results initiate a new category of optics that operate under extreme conditions, which has potential to improve or create new applications of high-power lasers. Mirrors that demonstrate 98% reflectivity and withstand 10 kilowatts of focused continuous-wave laser light are created by nanoscale fabrication of single-crystal diamond. The work finds applications in medicine, defence, industry, and communications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haig A Atikian
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 01238, USA
| | - Neil Sinclair
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 01238, USA.,Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy, and Alliance for Quantum Technologies (AQT), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Pawel Latawiec
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 01238, USA
| | - Xiao Xiong
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 01238, USA.,Key Laboratory of Quantum Information and Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Srujan Meesala
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 01238, USA
| | - Scarlett Gauthier
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 01238, USA
| | - Daniel Wintz
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 01238, USA
| | - Joseph Randi
- Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory, Electro-Optics Center, Freeport, PA, 16229, USA
| | - David Bernot
- Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory, Electro-Optics Center, Freeport, PA, 16229, USA
| | - Sage DeFrances
- Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory, Electro-Optics Center, Freeport, PA, 16229, USA
| | - Jeffrey Thomas
- Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory, Electro-Optics Center, Freeport, PA, 16229, USA
| | - Michael Roman
- Laser Technology and Analysis Branch, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, VA, 22448, USA
| | - Sean Durrant
- Laser Technology and Analysis Branch, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, Dahlgren, VA, 22448, USA
| | - Federico Capasso
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 01238, USA
| | - Marko Lončar
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 01238, USA.
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