Spatial self-organisation of a defect generation waveand laser-induced formation of ordered and crystallographic-oriented regions of optical damage in crystals

The spatial self-organisation of a defect generation wave (DGW) in laser-excited crystalline semiconductors and dielectrics is considered. It is shown that due to the elastic crystal anisotropy, for a Gaussian intensity distribution of exciting laser radiation, the DGW is focused along the crystallographic axes, resulting in the production of optical damage 'stars'.