Imaging of Laser-induced Reactions of Individual Defect Nanoclusters

The response of individual defect nanoclusters located in the bulk of a dielectric material following exposure to 355-nm, 3-ns high-power laser irradiation is investigated by use of microscopic fluorescence imaging. Experiments were carried out on KH(2)PO(4) crystals. We provide direct imaging of the reaction to an external stimulus of individual defect clusters and demonstrate a novel method of studying the dynamic behavior of bulk defects.