Third-harmonic generation imaging of laser-induced breakdown in glass

We present the results of three-dimensional third-harmonic generation imaging of laser-induced breakdown in glass by focused microjoule femtosecond near-IR pulses. This technique has the potential to resolve three dimensionally microstructures that result from laser-induced breakdown. As a potential optical data storage approach it is shown that the same IR laser beam can be used for writing and, at a lower power, for reading. The induced microdamage is shown to be three dimensionally confined and to depend on the write power. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 210.0210, 180.6900, 190.4180.