Optical channel waveguides in a chalcogenide (Ga:La:S) glass fabricated through short wavelength (lambda=244nm) illumination

Abstract

Chalcogenide optical glass is an interesting material, for both fibre and planar technologies, as it offers possibilities for a wide array of devices suitable for use in both non-linear applications and as IR sources. Channel waveguide structures were directly written into bulk gallium lanthanum sulphide glass via above-bandgap (λ=244nm) illumination. Focused fluence of 1.5-150 J/cm² from a UV-laser was applied, inducing giant-photocompaction and photochemical changes. A typical channel waveguide had attenuation <0.3dB cm⁻¹ and was spatially single-mode at 1μm. The damage threshold for fabricating such devices in this glass system is also discussed.

ICOCN (International Conference on Optical Networks) Singapore 11-14 Nov (2002) pp.334-337

Click here to download an Acrobat (.pdf) version of the paper.