Breakdown limits of optical multimode fibers for the application of nanosecond laser pulses at 532Â nm and 1064Â nm wavelength

Nanosecond (1064 nm and 532 nm wavelength) single-shot LIDT were measured according to the relevant standard on SiO2 glass preforms (Suprasil F300) as basic materials of the corresponding fibers. For 10 kinds of fused silica fibers (FiberTech) with core diameters between 180 μm and 600 μm, an illumination approach utilizing a stepwise increase of the laser fluence on a single spot was used. For both wavelengths, the LIDT values (0% damage probability) obtained by means of the two methods were compared. The influence of surface preparation (polishing) on damage resistance was investigated. For equal surface finishing, a correlation between drawing speed of the fibers and their surface LIDT values was found. In addition to the surface measurements, bulk LIDT were determined for the preform material.