K.E. Youden

Photorefractive planar waveguides in BaTiO3 fabricated by ion-beam implantation.

For the first time to our knowledge, photorefractive properties have been observed in planar waveguides fabricated by the technique of ion-beam implantation in BaTiO3 single crystals. The implantation was carried out by using 1.5-MeV H+ ions at a dose of 10−16 ions/cm2. For a given input power, a decrease in the effective photorefractive two-beam coupling response time of ≥102 has been observed, owing to a combination of optical confinement within the waveguide and possible modification of charge-transport properties induced through implantation. Experiments carried out on the two-beam coupling gain show that the gain direction has been reversed in the waveguide compared with that of the bulk crystal.

Epitaxial growth of Bi12GeO20 thin‐film optical waveguides using excimer laser ablation

Thin‐film optical waveguides of the photorefractive optical material bismuth germanium oxide (Bi12GeO20) have been epitaxially grown onto heated zirconia substrates by excimer laser ablative sputtering. The epitaxial nature and stoichiometry of the films were verified using x‐ray diffraction analysis. Waveguide modes were observed for effective refractive indices in close agreement with theoretical predictions.

BaTiO3 waveguide self-pumped phase conjugator

For the first time to our knowledge, self-pumped phase conjugation is reported in a planar waveguide structure in a BaTiO3 single crystal. The waveguide was fabricated by the technique of ion implantation, with 1.5-MeV H+ ions at a dose of 1016 ions/cm2. Phase-conjugate reflectivities >20% have been measured for waveguide self-pumped phase conjugation, and, for a given input power, an order-of-magnitude reduction in the response time is observed in the waveguide compared with the bulk. The fidelity of phase conjugation in the guide is also discussed.

Waveguide mutually pumped phase conjugators

The operation of the bridge mutually pumped phase conjugator is reported in a planar waveguide structure in photorefractive BaTiO(3). The waveguide was fabricated by the technique of ion implantation, using 1.5-MeVH(+) ions at a dose of 10(16) ions/cm(2). An order of magnitude decrease in response time is observed in the waveguide as compared with typical values obtained in bulk crystals, probably as a result of a combination of the optical confinement within the waveguide and possible modification of the charge-transport properties induced by the implantation process.

Pulsed‐laser deposition of Ga‐La‐S chalcogenide glass films for optical waveguide applications

Thin films of Ga-La-S chalcogenide glass have been ablatively deposited onto a range of substrates, including CaF2, and microscope cover slips. The resultant films are deficient in their sulphur composition by approximately 25%, when compared to the bulk targets used, but the interesting chalcogenide photostructural effects are not compromised by this deficiency. Experiments so far have established that photorefractive effects, such as photodoping, photobleaching and grating formation. all occur readily in the thin films, and gratings have been written using laser and e-beam addressing, to create diffractive structures for optical waveguide applications.