Direct laser writing of near-IR step-index buried channel waveguides in rare earth doped YAG

A new (to our knowledge) ultrashort laser pulse irradiation regime that allows us to directly modify and increase the refractive index of rare earth doped YAG polycrystalline ceramics has been identified. Single-mode buried channel waveguides in both Ho:YAG and Er:YAG ceramics at the near-IR wavelen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOptics letters Vol. 36; no. 17; p. 3395
Main Authors Rodenas, A, Benayas, A, Macdonald, J R, Zhang, J, Tang, D Y, Jaque, D, Kar, A K
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.09.2011
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Summary:A new (to our knowledge) ultrashort laser pulse irradiation regime that allows us to directly modify and increase the refractive index of rare earth doped YAG polycrystalline ceramics has been identified. Single-mode buried channel waveguides in both Ho:YAG and Er:YAG ceramics at the near-IR wavelengths of 1.55 μm and 1.95 μm are demonstrated by fabricating positive square step-index cores. Minimum propagation losses of 1.5 dB cm(-1) at a 1.51 μm wavelength have been preliminarily obtained. Confocal microluminescence mapping reveals that the increased refractive index regions retain the near-IR spectral properties of Er3+ ions in the YAG crystalline matrix.
ISSN:1539-4794
DOI:10.1364/ol.36.003395