Low propagation loss of the waveguides in fused quartz by oxygen ion implantation

The planar waveguides have been fabricated in fused quartz by 3.0 MeV oxygen ion implantation at dose of 1x10(15) ions/cm(2). The guiding modes were observed at wavelengths of both 633 nm and 1539 nm before and after annealing at 320degreesC, 450degreesC and 500degreesC in 60 min characterized by the prism-coupling method. The width of the waveguide structure induced by oxygen ion implantation is about 3 microns. After suitable annealing, the minimum propagation loss of the waveguide in fused quartz can be reduced to -0.14 dB/cm. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.