Laser-deposited As2S3 chalcogenide films for waveguide applications

We have shown that high-repetition rate short-pulse laser deposition can be used to successfully fabricate low loss waveguide films in As2S3 chalcogenide glasses. The resulting films are highly photosensitive and can be used without thermal annealing in waveguide fabrication. Waveguide losses as low as 0.2 dB/cm in laser written waveguides have been measured at 1550 run. The results suggest that ultra-fast pulsed laser deposition may be an important process for the production of low loss waveguides in the chalcogenides. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.