A simple phenomenological study of photodarkening in As2S3 glasses

• Published in: Optical materials Vol. 34; no. 8; pp. 1389 - 1393
• Main Authors: Florea, Catalin, Busse, Lynda, Sanghera, Jasbinder, Shaw, Brandon, Aggarwal, Ishwar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.06.2012
• Subjects: Chalcogenide fibers; Cross sections; Dynamic tests; Dynamics; Fiber Bragg gratings; Glass; Illumination; Lasers; Photodarkening; Photosensitivity; Quantum efficiency; Photosensitivity; Fiber Bragg gratings; Chalcogenide fibers
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2012.02.021

► Simple model to investigate photodarkening in As2S3 glasses. ► Quantum efficiency of the photodarkening process is of about 4% at 633nm. ► The absorption cross-section of the dark centers is ∼2.2 times larger than that of the intrinsic structural units. ► Writing Bragg gratings was performed using 633nm, 594nm and 568nm laser light. By using a simple photodarkening model we investigate the dynamics of photodarkening in As2S3 glasses under laser illumination. We find that, for illumination at 633nm, the quantum efficiency of the photodarkening process is of about 4% and that the absorption cross-section of the dark centers is ∼2.2 times larger than that of the intrinsic structural units. The insights gained from the modeling are compared with the experimental results obtained when writing Bragg gratings using 633nm, 594nm and 568nm laser light.