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Main Authors: Lukeš, Jakub, Hájková, Věra, Hlubučková, Martina, Kanclíř, Vít, Žídek, Karel
Format: Recurso digital
Language:English
Published: Zenodo 2025
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.553380
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author Lukeš, Jakub
Hájková, Věra
Hlubučková, Martina
Kanclíř, Vít
Žídek, Karel
author_facet Lukeš, Jakub
Hájková, Věra
Hlubučková, Martina
Kanclíř, Vít
Žídek, Karel
contents <p>Optical coating, an integral part of many optical systems, is prone to damage from environmental exposure and laser irradiation. This underscores the need for reliable and sensitive coating diagnostics. We introduce second harmonic generation (SHG) as a method for the sensitive detection of defects and inhomogeneities within optical thin films. We demonstrate the use of SHG on Si3N4 layers tested for their laser-induced damage threshold. The SHG mapping was compared with commonly used diagnostic techniques, including Nomarski microscopy, white light interferometry, and electron microscopy. Owing to its sensitivity to variations in local symmetry, SHG is able to discern minute alterations in material composition, mechanical stress, and interface structures. Therefore, SHG identified modifications in the tested layers, highly extending the damage recognized by standard methods. Furthermore, we demonstrate SHG’s ability to enhance specific features by modulation of incidence angles and polarization modes. Based on these findings, we propose SHG as an ideal diagnostic tool for the early identification of laser-induced modifications in centrosymmetric thin films.</p>
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language eng
publishDate 2025
publisher Zenodo
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spellingShingle Sensitive detection of Si3N4 thin-film defects via second harmonic generation microscopy
Lukeš, Jakub
Hájková, Věra
Hlubučková, Martina
Kanclíř, Vít
Žídek, Karel
<p>Optical coating, an integral part of many optical systems, is prone to damage from environmental exposure and laser irradiation. This underscores the need for reliable and sensitive coating diagnostics. We introduce second harmonic generation (SHG) as a method for the sensitive detection of defects and inhomogeneities within optical thin films. We demonstrate the use of SHG on Si3N4 layers tested for their laser-induced damage threshold. The SHG mapping was compared with commonly used diagnostic techniques, including Nomarski microscopy, white light interferometry, and electron microscopy. Owing to its sensitivity to variations in local symmetry, SHG is able to discern minute alterations in material composition, mechanical stress, and interface structures. Therefore, SHG identified modifications in the tested layers, highly extending the damage recognized by standard methods. Furthermore, we demonstrate SHG’s ability to enhance specific features by modulation of incidence angles and polarization modes. Based on these findings, we propose SHG as an ideal diagnostic tool for the early identification of laser-induced modifications in centrosymmetric thin films.</p>
title Sensitive detection of Si3N4 thin-film defects via second harmonic generation microscopy
url https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.553380