Mid-infrared diffused planar waveguides made of silver halide chloro-bromide

We have developed waveguides for the mid-IR spectrum using silver halide crystals;. Diffused planar waveguides constructed from silver chlorobromide (AgClBr) with different diffusion thicknesses were designed and characterized. The waveguides were based on our changing the refractive index of the guiding layer by a diffusion of Br- ions into crystalline AgCl substrates. The waveguides were analyzed and investigated with a 10.6-mum CO2 laser, and the optically measured thicknesses of the waveguides were found to vary between 65 and 600 mum. The propagation losses were in the range of 4-16 dB/cm, and the maximal entrance angle was 62degrees. The output beam distribution was measured and was in good correlation with a numerical analysis simulation based on a ray-tracing model, by use of the eikonal equation. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.