Experimental observation and suppression of transverse stimulated Brillouin scattering in large optical components

Using 2.4-nsec pulses at 350 nm, we have observed transverse stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in fused-silica optical components. Transverse SBS sets in when the product of laser fluence and growth time for the scattered optical wave exceeds ∼2.3 J nsec/cm2. An increase in laser bandwidth to 8.3 GHz suppresses SBS losses up to approximately twice the SBS threshold. We review the theory of transverse, broadband SBS and its scaling with experimental parameters.