Strengthened phosphate glass in a high rep rate active-mirror amplifier geometry

Ion-exchange strengthened phosphate glass in an active-mirror geometry remained unfractured at pump power levels 3 times the average pump fracture limit of unstrengthened phosphate glass in the same geometry. In addition, pretreatment and posttreatment measurements of surface wavefront and roughness were made on a set of rectangular substrates to quantify any ion-exchange-induced surface modifications. Experimental measurements of treatment-induced wavefront deformation of strengthened blocks were shown to be less than modeled values of distortion attributable to extended treatment times.