Locking in photosensitivity within optical fiber and planar waveguides by ultraviolet preexposure

213 nm laser written waveguides in Ge-doped planar silica without hydrogen loading

In this paper we present the first example of waveguides fabricated by UV writing in non-hydrogen loaded Ge-doped planar silica with 213 nm light. Single mode waveguides were fabricated and the numerical apertures and mode field diameters were measured for a range of writing fluences. A peak index change of 5.3 x 10^-3 was inferred for the waveguide written with 70 kJ cm^-2. The refractive index change is sufficient to match the index structure of standard optical fiber. Uniformity of the written structures was measured and a propagation loss of 0.39 ± 0.03 dB cm^-1 was determined through cutback measurements.

The characteristic curve and site-selective laser excitation of local relaxation in glass

The so-called characteristic curve describing photosensitivity change is elaborated and shown to be a powerful tool for understanding and characterizing photosensitive growth both at a fundamental and practical level. It has been used successfully to diagnose when optimal hypersensitization has been achieved and the physical basis for this is explained. By way of example, previous results using 355 nm hypersensitization are re-examined. Evidence of single site-selective glass relaxation through direct laser excitation offers a new approach to accessing and studying induced relaxations.

Thermal stability of the 248-nm-induced presensitization process in standard H2-loaded germanosilicate fibers

Grating growths through exposure of presensitized standard fibers to KrF light were recorded in various experimental condition. It is shown that there exists an optimum sensitization fluence at which the efficiency of the sensitization process is higher. Isochronal thermal annealing of pre-exposed fibers led to a decrease in the sensitization-induced enhancement of photosensitivity. IR-absorption spectroscopy was carried out in fibers or preform plates to monitor the attenuation ascribed to H-bearing species in the same samples. The annealing-induced decay in photosensitivity cannot be correlated with those of the H-bearing species in the whole temperature range (110 degrees C-800 degrees C). This indicates that the enhancement of photosensitivity comes from the transformation of more than one species.

Hypersensitization of rare-earth-doped waveguides for distributed-feedback amplifier and laser applications

Deterioration of the gain coefficient as a result of UV processing of hydrogen-loaded Er(3+) - and Er(3+)/Yb (3+) -doped silicate optical waveguides can be reduced by initial hypersensitization of the waveguide prior to bulk irradiation. This allows improved performance in active-grating devices such as distributed-feedback fiber amplifiers and lasers.

Ultraviolet-induced absorption losses in hydrogen-loaded optical fibers and in presensitized optical fibers

Reduced hydroxyl formation in presensitized fibers exposed to cw 244-nm light after hydrogen outdiffusion is reported. The OH band in the presensitized fiber shifts toward 1390 nm. In the fully hydrogen-loaded fiber the OH band is centered at 1397 nm and does not shift with fluence.

Annealing properties of gratings written into UV-presensitized hydrogen-outdiffused optical fiber

Accelerated aging of gratings written in UV presensitized hydrogen outdiffused optical fibers show that these gratings are more stable than standard gratings written in hydrogen-loaded fibers. They are observed to grow initially by as much as 2%. The predicted decay after 25 years at 80 degrees C is ~0.1% . The results suggest that the index modulation decay is so slow that postfabrication annealing can be avoided.