Study of the defect in the CaF 2 materials via a laser-induced fluorescence measurement

Analysis of defects in optical materials is crucial for their applicability in cutting-edge optical components. Since calcium fluoride (CaF 2 ) is highly regarded for optical applications, understanding the nature of defects within CaF 2 is particularly significant. These defects have been conventionally identified through absorption and photoluminescence (PL) emission studies. In this work, we investigate the defects by measuring laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectra over a long irradiation. By decomposing the PL spectrum into multiple Gaussian PL bands, we identify the defects within the CaF 2 material. The measurement of irradiation-induced PL can be rationalized by the stabilization of F-centers via the formation of M-centers. PL mapping has been also studied to study the potential link between the surface oxygen contamination of CaF 2 samples and polishing techniques.