We present an iterative procedure for constructing fully continuous phase screens for tailoring the focal plane intensity distributions. This algorithm alleviates the stagnations experienced in the application of the Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm with a random initial phase screen and leads to efficient distribution of the incident energy into the desired focal plane profile.

The damage threshold specifications for the National Ignition Facility will include a mixture of standard small-area tests and new large-area tests. During our studies of laser damage and conditioning processes of various materials we have found that some damage morphologies are fairly small and this damage does not grow with further illumination. This type of damage might not be detrimental to the laser performance. We should therefore assume that some damage can be allowed on the optics, but decide on a maximum damage allowance of damage. A new specification of damage threshold termed {open_quotes}functional damage threshold{close_quotes} was derived. Further correlation of damage size and type to system performance must be determined in order to use this measurement, but it is clear that it will be a large factor in the optics performance specifications. Large-area tests have verified that small-area testing is not always sufficient when the optic in question has defect-initiated damage. This was evident for example on sputtered polarizer and mirror coatings where the defect density was low enough that the features could be missed by standard small- area testing. For some materials, the scale-length at which damage non-uniformities occur will effect the comparison of small-area and large-area tests. …

We have fabricated large aperture (40-cm) kinoform phase plates for producing super-Gaussian focal plane intensity profiles. The continuous phase screen, designed using a new iterative procedure, was fabricated in fused silica as a 16-level, one-wave deep rewrapped phase profile using a lithographic process and wet etching in buffered hydrofluoric acid. The observed far-field contains 94% of the incident energy inside the desired spot.