Two-photon absorption at 248 nm in ultraviolet window materials

Abstract

Two-photon-absorption coefficients are measured for fused silica, LiF, and the alkali earth halides BaF(2), SrF(2), CaF(2), and MgF(2), using 0.7-psec, 248-nm pulses with intensities in the range (0.5-30) x 10(10) W/cm (2) . The conse-quences of these measurements in the design of high-brightness excimer lasers are discussed.