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This paper introduces a sensitivity test for characterizing the laser damage behavior of a sample. A sensitivity test analyzes unbinned laser damage test data to estimate the damage probability curve. The means of estimation is by employing a parametric model of the probability of damage and identifying the parameters most likely to produce the observed results using the maximum-likelihood (ML) method. The ML method applied to laser damage measurements is reviewed. The sensitivity test is analyzed for its performance using Monte Carlo methods. A series of laser damage tests are simulated on a test of a hypothetical test optic. A Weibull distribution is selected for the damage probability model, while the virtual test optic was chosen to have a non-Weibull shaped damage probability curve. Damage measurements for varying the number of sites exposed are modeled to show the convergence of the Weibull parameters. This paper concludes by showing how the under-lying defect distribution is calculated from results of the sensitivity test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a direct comparison of two techniques for the determination of laser damage threshold. The two techniques are compared for their accuracy and repeatability and analyzed to understand the intrinsic biases of each test. We show that the damage frequency method underestimates the true value and has poor repeatability and the binary search method over-estimates the threshold, but is the more repeatable method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]