Second-order hot image from a scatterer in high-power laser systems

A theory is developed for predicting a second-order hot-image formation in high-power laser systems. Light diffracted from a small optical scatterer interferes with an intense original wave in the nonlinear medium to produce a hologram like a Fresnel-zone plate. The theoretical model shows that the hologram produces a negative first-order diffractive wave focused to the traditional hot image and negative second-order diffraction that causes another intense image, namely, a second-order hot image. It is found by analysis that the location of the second-order hot image arises in a downstream plane with a half-distance from the medium to the scatterer. Results of the numerical calculations show that the peak intensity of the nonlinear image may reach a level high enough to damage optical components with the increase of the breakup integral (B integral), indicating that the image may also potentially damage expensive optical components in high-power laser systems.