Mechanisms of Radiation Effects on Lasers

Lasers offer many potential advantages for space communications and space instrumentation. Their performance is, however, affected by the high energy radiation found in the space environment, e.g., trapped proton and electrons, solar flare protons, and possibly gamma rays and neutrons from on-board nuclear power, auxiliary or propulsive. We report here on some studies of the effects observed on lasers and laser components exposed to irradiation, and in particular on the mechanisms of these effects.