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The spectral laser-induced damage of optical components was measured using a new instrument based on combining a laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) testing procedure with angle-resolved light scattering and using a tunable optical parametric oscillator laser source. Tests on aluminum mirrors revealed a significant drop of the LIDT around 800 nm, which is not predicted by simple scaling laws. For near-infrared edge filters, remarkable changes in the LIDT around the band edge were observed, which are linked to the spectral variation of the field distribution in the interference coating.

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