Laser damage performance of KD_2-xH_xPO₄ crystals following X-ray irradiation

We investigate the laser-induced damage performance of KD _2-xH_xPO₄ crystals following exposure to X-ray irradiation. Two important issues addressed by our study are i) the performance of the material when operational conditions lead to its exposure to ionizing irradiation and ii) the way the radiation-induced transient defects interact with the pre-existing precursor defects responsible for laser-induced damage. Our results indicate that the damage performance of the material is affected by exposure to X-rays. This behavior is attributed to a change in the physical properties of the precursors which, in turn, affect their ability to initiate damage following interaction with X-ray generated defects.