Investigation of optical damage in the nonlinear optical crystal (−)2-(α-methylbenzylamino)-5-nitropyridine

Pulsed laser induced surface damage experiments were made on the cleaved (001) face of (—)2-(α-methylbenzylamino)-5-nitropyridine (MBANP) crystals using a pulse length of 25 ns FWHM. The highest single pulse damage threshold value was 24·2 J cm−2 at a wavelength of 1064 nm for light polarized along the crystallographic a axis, whereas the lowest was 1·8 J cm−2 at 532 nm for light polarized along the crystallographic b axis. The extent of the mechanical distortion of the (001) crystal plane consequent upon the absorption of a 25 ns FWHM, 10 J cm−2 pulse from a Nd:YAG laser operating at the wavelength 1064 nm has been measured by a non-destructive and non-invasive technique.