Low-loss waveguides fabricated in BK7 glass by high repetition rate femtosecond fiber laser

Journal Article · Sun Apr 20 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · Applied Optics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.47.002098· OSTI ID:21120721

Eaton, Shane M; Ng, Mi Li; Bonse, Joern; Mermillod-Blondin, Alexandre; Haibin, Zhang; Rosenfeld, Arkadi; Herman, Peter R

For the first time femtosecond-laser writing has inscribed low-loss optical waveguides in Schott BK7 glass, a commercially important type of borosilicate widely used in optical applications. The use of a variable repetition rate laser enabled the identification of a narrow processing window at 1 MHz repetition rate with optimal waveguides exhibiting propagation losses of 0.3 dB/cm and efficient mode matching to standard optical fibers at a 1550 nm wavelength. The waveguides were characterized by complementary phase contrast and optical transmission microscopy, identifying a micrometer-sized guiding region within a larger complex structure of both positive and negative refractive index variations.

• OSTI ID: 21120721
• Journal Information: Applied Optics, Vol. 47, Issue 12; Other Information: DOI: 10.1364/AO.47.002098; (c) 2008 Optical Society of America; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6935
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BORON SILICATES
BOROSILICATE GLASS
LASERS
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
MICROSCOPY
OPTICAL FIBERS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
WAVEGUIDES
WAVELENGTHS