Femtosecond laser-induced refractive index modification in multicomponent glasses

We present a comprehensive study on femtosecond laser-induced refractive index modification in a wide variety of multicomponent glasses grouped as borosilicate, aluminum-silicate, and heavy-metal oxide glasses along with lanthanum-borate and sodium-phosphate glasses. By using high-spatial resolution refractive index profiling techniques, we demonstrate that under a wide range of writing conditions the refractive index modification in multicomponent glasses can be positive, negative, or nonuniform, and exhibits a strong dependence on the glass composition. With the exception of some aluminum-silicate glasses all other glasses exhibited a negative/nonuniform index change. We also demonstrate direct writing of waveguides in photosensitive Foturan(R) glass with a femtosecond laser without initiating crystallization by thermal treatment. Upon ceramization of lithium-aluminum-silicate glasses such as Foturan(R), Zerodur(R), and Robax(R) we observe switching of laser-induced refractive index change from being positive to negative. The measured transmission losses in the waveguides at 1550 nm agree with the index profile measurements in alkali-free aluminum-silicate glasses. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.