Slab optical waveguides in Er 3-doped tellurite glass by N + ion implantation at 1.5 MeV

Slab optical waveguides were fabricated in tung-sten-tellurite glass doped with Er 3 ions by means of nitrogen ion implantation at 1.5 MeV. A wide range of ion doses (from 510 12 to 8.10 16 ionscm 2) was used. Optical characterization, performed by dark-line spectroscopy, revealed that the waveguides were of optical barrier type: the implanted layer exhibited a decrease of the refractive index with respect to the virgin bulk glass, while the region comprised between the sample surface and the end of the ion track acted as an optical guiding structure. It was also demonstrated that a post-implantation annealing process, performed at various temperatures on the samples implanted at higher doses, contributes to the reduction of the barrier region. © 2011 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).