ABSTRACT
Planar waveguides have been fabricated in Nd- or Ho-doped gallium lanthanum sulfide laser glasses by 60 MeV Ar or 20 MeV N ion implantation. The refractive index profiles were reconstructed based on the results of prism coupling. The Ar implanted waveguides exhibit an approximate steplike distribution, while the N implanted ones show a "well + barrier" type. This difference can be attributed to the much lower dose of Ar ions. After annealing, the N implanted waveguides can support two modes at 1539 nm and have low propagation loss, which makes them candidates for novel waveguide lasers.
ABSTRACT
An Nd:YAG planar waveguide laser has been fabricated by ultra-low-fluence (2×10(12) cm(-2)) swift heavy-ion irradiation (60 MeV Ar(4+) ions). The appearance of the buried waveguiding has been associated with an increased refractive index layer as a consequence of the ion-induced electronic damage. Continuous-wave laser oscillations at 1064.2 nm have been observed from the waveguide under 808 nm optical excitation, with the absorbed pump power at threshold and laser slope efficiency close to 26 mW and 5.9%, respectively.
