This volume investigates the physical mechanisms and material thresholds governing laser-induced damage in optical components. Edited by Harold E. Bennett and colleagues, the text compiles technical proceedings from a 1986 symposium held in Boulder, Colorado. It presents empirical data and theoretical models intended to assist researchers and engineers in improving the durability of high-power laser systems.

Experts recognize this publication as a foundational historical record for the study of laser damage thresholds in the mid-1980s. Readers frequently note the high technical density of the prose, which is intended primarily for specialists in optical engineering and materials science.