Stability parameters of optical components of cw and pulse-periodic laser systems

A system of stability parameters of optical components is introduced for cw and pulse-periodic laser systems. It is shown that there are many phenomena that govern the damage threshold of an optical surface irradiated with high-power pulse-periodic laser radiation. It is shown that in the case of components for power optics systems with an optical damage threshold amounting to a few hundreds of kilowatts per square centimeter the mechanisms of brittle and fatigue damage of the optical surfaces become important in the case of pulse-periodic illumination.