
188
Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials
curve-tting procedure to be used to extrapolate to the point of onset. It is at this point
in the history of the eld that the linear extrapolation enters the picture.
Hughes Aircra was not the only manufacturer testing for laser damage. Every
other major US government supplier performed some type of quality check on laser
components, while these tests did dier, some commonality existed (Seitel et al. 1988).
In the late 1980s, the rst commercial testing house for laser damage, Montana Laser
Optics (MLO and now Big Sky Laser) opened its doors. ere was a major eort between
Hughes and MLO to pr