Clean assembly practices to prevent contamination and damage to optics

James A. Pryatel; William H. Gourdin

doi:10.1117/12.638930

7 February 2006 Clean assembly practices to prevent contamination and damage to optics

James A. Pryatel, William H. Gourdin

Proceedings Volume 5991, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2005; 59910Q (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.638930
Event: Boulder Damage Symposium XXXVII: Annual Symposium on Optical Materials for High Power Lasers, 2005, Boulder, CO, United States

Abstract

A key lesson learned from the earliest optics installed in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) was that the traditional approach for maintaining cleanliness, such as the use of cleanrooms and associated garments and protocols, is inadequate. Assembly activities often negate the benefits provided by cleanrooms, and in fact generate contamination with high damage potential. As a result, NIF introduced "clean assembly protocols" and related practices to supplement the traditional clean room protocols. These new protocols included "clean-as-you-go" activities and regular bright light inspections. Introduction of these new protocols has greatly reduced the particle contamination found on more recently installed optics. In this paper we will describe the contamination mechanisms we have observed and the details of the clean assembly protocols we have successfully introduced to mitigate them.

Citation Download Citation

James A. Pryatel and William H. Gourdin "Clean assembly practices to prevent contamination and damage to optics", Proc. SPIE 5991, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2005, 59910Q (7 February 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.638930

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