Active Waveguides Written in Rare-Earth Doped Materials with Femtosecond Laser Pulses

Optical waveguides can be fabricated inside various glasses by using tightly focussed femtosecond laser pulses to induce a change in the refractive index. Researchers have shown this direct-write technique has the potential to generate both planar and threedimensional photonic devices for optical networking applications inside a wide range of materials. In particular, waveguides can be written in Erbium-doped phosphate glass and demonstrate a net gain when used as an active element in a standard waveguide amplifier. We report results of a detailed study optimising the beam delivery configurations and fabricating photonic waveguides and devices in both passive and active glasses.5 page(s