Correlation between stimulated scattering processes and laser-induced damage in crystalline quartz

The results of a systematic series of experiments to uncover possible correlation between laser-induced stimulated-Brillouin-scattering (SBS) phonons and damage in quartz are presented. Such correlation is confirmed and the various thresholds are established. The anomalous transmission factor under phonon generation is found to decay exponentially as predicted with increasing incident laser power. The LF SBS phonon is also demonstrated to be a sensitive probe for precatastrophic damage.