Multipass lock-in thermography for the study of optical coating absorption

The development of high-power lasers requires optics with very low absorption to avoid detrimental thermal effects. In this work, we discuss our recent developments on the use of lock-in thermography to measure absorption. We apply this technique in a multipass configuration to increase the effective power on the tested samples. We present a system based on a kW-class ytterbium fiber laser operating at 1.07 µm wavelength, which enables exposing samples to 5 kW effective power and measuring absorption in the ppm range. The implementation, calibration procedure, and obtained performance are discussed with some applications to single-layer coatings of HfO₂,Ta₂O₅,TiO₂,Nb₂O₅, and SiO₂ deposited by plasma-assisted electron beam deposition.