2024 January: New Research Into CW Damage Testing

CW damage is classically governed by a total dosage/time mechanism determining the power levels at which steady-state equilibria are obtained. Despite this, true damage occurred in scan tests. Scanning is not the recommended test procedure adopted for CW, as a steady state is unable to be established. CW use does not involve a moving target. However, new applications can see surface features giving rise to damage when scanning is used. These events are scanning-induced and happen even when the coating threshold is far higher when tested classically.

2023 August: Research Launched

As an extension to last year's research program, an investigation in radiation induced contaminants has been ongoing and found to not only be power sensitive but also total energy related.

2023 April: A New Dedicated 1535 nm Laser Damage Bed Is Now In Operation

Our new custom-built, increased power, 1535 nm Laser allows testing to be extended to higher power levels whilst still keeping our minimum spot size to >235 µm.

2022 November: BRL New Research Program Launched - Identifying Errors in Damage Testing at Wavelengths Differing from the Target 2 Micron Tests:

Testing at 1 µm can be used, with corrections to obtain approximate 2 µm results. Laser damage testing at 2 µm is inaccurate due to a plethora of problems associated with 2 µm sensors and beam diagnostics. However, as more test houses adopt this methodology failures in the end product testing are becoming common. Auxiliary test procedures were examined and remedies explored.

2022 May: BRL Builds Dedicated 532 nm and 366 nm Laser Damage Beds

BRL has increased test capacity with a new powerful 1064 nm Laser and upconverters allowing both test and research activities at extended wavelengths.

2021 March: Electro Optics Magazine - BRL features in EO Magazine article 'Testing Matters' alongside latest whitepaper

This month's edition of Electro Optics Magazine features an article on the test ethos of BRL and our latest whitepaper on threshold elevation. Gemma Church explains how and why BRL takes a robust and accurate approach to laser damage testing, alongside comments from our CEO Dr Rona Belford on the potential to overtest samples during a laser damage test.

2021 February: BRL Releases Second Whitepaper on High Power Laser Damage and Annealing

BRL's latest whitepaper expands on the subject of annealing and its influence on accurate determination of laser damage threshold. This whitepaper addresses the threshold elevation that can arise from over dosing the test sample with laser light.The whitepaper can be found here.

2021 February: New Assistant Physicist and Systems Programmer Joins BRL

We are pleased to welcome Andrew Ritchie as a Physicist and Systems Programmer. Andrew's experience in A.I and robotics will be used to address a high level of system integration at BRL, enhancing the efficacy of our knowledgeable team of laser damage test experts.

2020 September: BRL Exhibition at SPIE Security + Defence Edinburgh

BRL presents "Laser Damage for Optical Coaters" via the Digital Exhibition at SPIE Security + Defence 2020. This virtual demonstration shows real time optical samples under test and explains what samples are needed for different types of testing. Exciting live footage of laser damage is presented. It is now available to view on the SPIE website.

2020 August: Electro Optics Viewpoint - BRL CEO discusses the pivotal role of optical coatings and Laser damage testing in high power lasers development

This month's Electro Optics Viewpoint presents a short profile of BRL's capabilities as a laser damage test house and highlights the requirement of high LIDT for high power lasers. This Viewpoint, authored by BRL's CEO Dr Rona Belford, also examines the distinct regimes of laser damage and how they pertain to pulsed, CW or ultrafast laser systems.

2020 July: Electro Optics Magazine Release BRL's New Annealing Whitepaper

This month's Electro Optics magazine features BRL's latest whitepaper, "High Power Laser Damage & Annealing - Justification for ISO Standard Recommendations" by Dr Rona Belford and Kieran R Ross. The potential for large scale variance in LIDT values is explained. This article emphaises critical details in the ISO standards. It is now available on the Electro Optics website.

2020 June: BRL Releases Whitepaper on High Power Laser Damage and Annealing

BRL has released a new whitepaper detailing the effects of small parameter changes, deviating from ISO standard laser damage testing. These small changes give rise to inacurate elevation of threshold values due to the test material changing (annealing) during the test. The importance of low dosage testing is verified. The whitepaper can be found here.

2020 June: Article Featuring BRL in June Edition of Electro Optics Magazine

Electro Optics Magazine has issued an article by Andy Extance as part of a Tech Focus on Laser Optics. "Coating Techniques Push Laser Component Limits" discussing advances in coating technology and highlighting BRL as a state of the art laser damage test house. The article can also be found here.

2020 June: June Digital Issue of Electro Optics Magazine Features BRL's CW Whitepaper

Our recent whitepaper on CW Laser Damage is free to read via the June digital issue of Electro Optics Magazine.

2020 May: Electro Optics Magazine Release Latest BRL Whitepaper

This month's Electro Optics magazine features BRL's latest whitepaper. The whitepaper, "High Power Pulsed and CW Laser Damage, Understanding the differences in Pulsed and CW damage" by Dr Rona Belford, Kieran R Ross and Dr Matthew Duff, details and contrasts pulsed and CW laser damage mechanisms, as well as presenting LIDT results for optical substrates. It is available on the Electro Optics website.

2020 April: BRL Releases Demo "Laser Damage for Optical Coaters"

BRL has released a video targeted at optical coaters. We explain what the coater needs to provide in terms of data and sample. We also show videos of both pulsed and CW damage. The demo was originally compiled for the exhibitors showcase at SPIE Photonics Europe 2020. The video can be found here.

2020 March: BRL Releases Whitepaper on High Power Pulsed and CW Laser Damage

BRL has released a whitepaper, detailing and contrasting the differences in Pulsed and CW laser damage. We also dispel some of the common misunderstandings relating to CW Laser Damage and its units. This work was funded by Leonardo Edinburgh, Gooch and Housego Precision Optics and BRL Laser Damage. The whitepaper can be found here.

2020 February: BRL Extends CW Damage Testing Capability

BRL now offers continuous wave (CW) laser damage testing up to a linear power density of 500 kW/cm. This linear power density will cover more than 95% of the CW market.

2019 October: New Laser Physicist Joins BRL

We are pleased to welcome Dr Matthew Duff to our team. Matthew has expertise in Ultra-Fast High Power lasers. He fills a new position at BRL.

2019 May: New Laser Physicist Joins BRL

We are pleased to welcome Kieran Ross to our research team. He will be our Lead Physicist, specialising in optical assemblies.

2019 April: BRL now offer a comprehensive CW laser damage service commencing 02.04.2019.

2018 July: New Laser Physicist Joins BRL

Arran Fernie has taken up a new position at BRL as a Laser Physicist.

2018 May: BRL Appear in Electro Optics Article

We are featured in an article published by Electro Optics. "Coating techniques push laser component limits" by Andy Extance, discusses the current advances in coating technology and the importance of laser damage testing. It is available on the Electro Optics website.

2017 June: Whitepaper on High Power, High LIDT Laser Optics

BRL co-authored a whitepaper on laser damage in high-power optics with Gooch and Housego. It is available on the Gooch and Housego website. The paper showcases our recent Laser Damage Live videos, which you can find on our media page.

2017 April: New Media Launched

We have just begun a series of videos on live laser damage. These show unusual and dramatic damage events recorded in our labs. Watch it on our media page.

2017 January: Completed Expansion into the Eye-Safe Regime, Supported by Business Gateway

2016 October: Photonex Coventry

Our senior Research Physicist, Dr Mulholland gave an invited talk on laser damage testing. He gave examples of BRL's work with the Kerr Effect and showcased two new videos taken of live damage events.

2016 August: 2-Micron Research Project

BRL successfully completed the SMART feasibility project on 2-micron laser damage testing. The project was successful and BRL are taking their concepts a stage further. Much work is still required to gain confidence in the procedures investigated.

2016 August: BRL Attained ISO 9001:2015 Accreditation.

2016 June: Fourth Laser Test Bed Operational

2016 April: SPIE Photonics Europe Brussels

BRL exhibited and Dr. R E Belford gave the demo talk Laser Damage Basics.

2016 January: Dr Kieran Mulholland Appointed as our New Research Physicist

Dr Kieran Mulholland joined our group full time. He has a PhD in experimental nuclear physics and has previous experience of laser damage techniques.

2015 December: Sean Taylor Appointed as our Electronics Engineer

Sean is responsible for the extensive electronic and sensing equipment in our firing labs.

2015 September: 2-Micron Research Project

BRL commenced a one-year SMART feasibility project. Laser damage at 2 microns presents limiting difficulties which make the test both expensive and challenging to execute. This research project approached the problem from a materials based viewpoint and proposed a novel method for performing laser damage testing at 2 microns using an alternative methodology.

2014 December: BRL Attained ISO 9001:2008 Accreditation

2014 August: BRL Fast Tracked in Business Gateway

2013 October: Photonex

Dr Belford presented the invited talk entitled "Laser Damage on optical components".

2013 August: Completed SMART Award “Intelligent, Low Cost Route to Multi-Wavelength Laser Damage Determination”

2013 June: Third Laser Damage Test Bed Operational

Multi-wavelength laser damage test bed became active due to the completion of a Scottish Enterprise feasibility project.

2012 August: Commenced SMART Award “Intelligent, Low Cost Route to Multi-Wavelength Laser Damage Determination”

2012 July: Accreditation for Accuracy in Laser Damage Testing by SELEX ES