Relationships governing laser damage of transparent solids, initiated by various types of absorbing inclusions

A theory is developed of laser damage of transparent solids, initiated by various types of absorbing inclusions. It is shown that the presence of several types of inclusions modifies considerably the relationships governing laser damage (such as the dependences of the damage threshold on the pulse duration, on the size of the irradiated region, etc.), compared with the model postulating the presence of inclusions of one type. Conditions under which it is possible to obtain information on the spectrum of absorbing inclusions responsible for damage are identified.