Ultrafast laser writing of optical waveguides in ceramic Yb:YAG: a study of thermal and non-thermal regimes

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Vol. 104; no. 1; pp. 301 - 309
• Main Authors: Benayas, A., Silva, W. F., Ródenas, A., Jacinto, C., Vázquez de Aldana, J., Chen, F., Tan, Y., Thomsom, R. R., Psaila, N. D., Reid, D. T., Torchia, G. A., Kar, A. K., Jaque, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-07-2011; Springer
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Ceramics; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Circuit properties; Compressive properties; Condensed Matter Physics; Crystal defects; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Machines; Manufacturing; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optical and optoelectronic circuits; Optical waveguides; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Propagation modes; Stresses; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Ultrafast lasers; Optical Waveguide; Pulse Energy; Focal Volume; Heat Accumulation; Ytterbium; Defect density; Doping; Photoluminescence; Ytterbium addition; Fluorescence; Defect recombination; Crystal defect; Laser writing; Stress distribution; Laser beam annealing; Optical waveguide; YAG; Ultrafast process
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-010-6135-9

We report the improvement of ultrafast laser written optical waveguides in Yb:YAG ceramics by tailoring the presence of heat accumulation effects. From a combination of ytterbium micro-luminescence and micro-Raman structural analysis, maps of lattice defects and stress fields have been obtained. We show how laser annealing can strongly reduce the concentration of defects and also reduce compressive stress, leading to an effective 50% reduction in the propagation losses and to more extended and symmetric propagation modes.