Some materials present difficulties for the fabrication of channel waveguides with standard technologies. They may suffer incompatibilities with the physical or chemical processes required in one or more steps involved in the fabrication technology itself or in the standard patterning techniques. An experimental Er3+ doped tungsten-tellurite glass, which gets damaged by standard lithographic techniques is one of such cases. However, this glass is of great interest thanks to its excellent optical and spectroscopic properties, high refractive index (nbulk < 2.0 at 635 nm), low cut-off phonon energy and broad emission bandwidth for the erbium (< 60 nm) within the C band of optical telecommunications. We have therefore successfully demonstrated a novel method of fabrication, namely by focussed C4+ ion beam implantation (FIB). Relatively heavy and swift ions like the ones used in this experiment allow to change the material properties with fluencies even 10 times lower than those required when using light ions. The use of a focussed beam has also allowed us to directly write the channel waveguides on the sample, without the use of any lithographic procedure, which renders the whole process flexible and simpler. The Er3+ doped tellurite glass with 60TeO2–25WO3–15Na2O-0.5Er2O3 (mol. %) composition was prepared by melt-quenching technique. The FIB irradiations were carried out at the 3 MV Tandetron 4130 MC (High Voltage Engineering Europa B.V.) of the Nuclear Physics Institute AV CR, Řež, with 4–6 nA beam current, 1·1014-5·1016 ions/cm2 fluence and the size of the scanning beam was 8 μm × 12 μm. The as-implanted waveguides showed very high propagation losses, about 14-20 dB/cm at 1400 nm, outside the absorption band of Er3+. A stepwise (each step 30 minutes long) thermal annealing allowed to reduce losses. At 150 °C, propagation losses decreased to 1.5 dB/cm. At higher temperatures propagation losses rose again, but at 200 °C coupling losses decreased, so that the best insertion loss, about 5 dB, was measured at this stage. The near-field images showed that the waveguide was monomode up to 1540 nm and that the mode width does not vary significantly with increasing temperature, whereas the estimated depth of the waveguides shows a slight increase. In order to obtain more information about the structural changes caused by the ion beam irradiation, profilometry and Raman characterisation has been carried out on the channel waveguides and also these results will be presented at the conference.
Nowadays, in the modern optical communications systems, channel waveguides represent the core of many active and passive integrated devices, such as amplifiers, lasers, couplers and splitters. Different materials and fabrication processes were investigated in order to achieve the aforementioned optoelectronic circuits with low costs and high performance and reproducibility. Nevertheless, the 2D guiding structures fabrication continues to be a challenging task in some of optical materials due to their susceptibility to mechanical and/or chemical damages which can occur during the different steps of the fabrication process. Here we report on channel waveguides demonstration in erbium doped Tungsten – Tellurite (Er3+:TeO2-WO3) glasses and BGO crystals by means of a masked ion beam and/or direct writing processes performed at different energy MeV and ions species. The evidence of the waveguides formation was investigated by microscopy techniques and micro Raman spectroscopy.
Bismuth germanate is a well known scintillator material. It is also used in nonlinear optics, e.g. for building Pockels cells, and can also be used in the fabrication of photorefractive devices. In the present work planar optical waveguides were designed and fabricated in eulytine (Bi4Ge3O12) and sillenite (Bi12GeO20) type bismuth germanate crystals using single- and double-energy irradiation with N+ ions in the 2.5 < E < 3.5 MeV range. Planar waveguides were fabricated via scanning a 2 mm × 2 mm beam over the waveguide area. Typical fluences were between 1 • 1015 and 2 • 1016 ions/cm2. Multi-wavelength m-line spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry were used for the characterization of the ion beam irradiated waveguides. Waveguide structures obtained from the ellipsometric data via simulation were compared to N+ ion distributions calculated using the Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM) code. M-lines could be detected up to a wavelength of 1310 nm in the planar waveguide fabricated in sillenite type BGO, and up to 1550 nm in those fabricated in eulytine type BGO.
Ion implantation proved to be a universal technique for producing waveguides in most optical materials. Tellurite glasses
are good hosts of rare-earth elements for the development of fibre and integrated optical amplifiers and lasers covering
all the main telecommunication bands. Er3+- doped tellurite glasses are good candidates for the fabrication of broadband
amplifiers in wavelength division multiplexing around 1.55 μm, as they exhibit large stimulated cross sections and broad
emission bandwidth. Fabrication of channel waveguides in such a material via N+ ion implantation was reported recently.
Parameters of waveguide fabrication in an Er-doped tungsten-tellurite glass via implantation of N+ ions were optimized.
First single-energy implantation at 3.5 MeV with fluences between 1·1016 and 8·1016 ions/cm2 was applied. Waveguide
operation up to 1.5 μm was observed. Then double-energy implantations at a fixed upper energy of 3.5 MeV and lower
energies between 2.5 and 3.0 MeV were performed to suppress leaky modes by increasing barrier width. Improvement of
waveguide characteristics was found by m-line spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry.
Slab optical waveguides were fabricated in tung-sten-tellurite glass doped with Er3 + ions by means of nitrogen ion implantation at 1.5 MeV. A wide range of ion doses (from 5·1012 to 8·1016 ions/cm2) 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.
Slab waveguides were fabricated in Er-doped tungsten-tellurite glass and CaF2 crystal samples via ion implantation.
Waveguides were fabricated by implantation of MeV energy N+ ions at the Van de Graaff accelerator of the Research
Institute for Particle and Nuclear Physics, Budapest, Hungary. Part of the samples was annealed. Implantations were
carried out at energies of 1.5 MeV (tungsten-tellurite glass) and 3.5 MeV (CaF2). The implanted doses were between 5 x
1012 and 8 x 1016 ions/cm2. Refractive index profile of the waveguides was measured using SOPRA ES4G and Woollam
M-2000DI spectroscopic ellipsometers at the Research Institute for Technical Physics and Materials Science, Budapest.
Functionality of the waveguides was tested using a home-made instrument (COMPASSO), based on m-line spectroscopy
and prism coupling technique, which was developed at the Materials and Photonics Devices Laboratory (MDF Lab.) of
the Institute of Applied Physics in Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. Results of both types of measurements were compared to
depth distributions of nuclear damage in the samples, calculated by SRIM 2007 code. Thicknesses of the guiding layer
and of the implanted barrier obtained by spectroscopic ellipsometry correspond well to SRIM simulations. Irradiationinduced
refractive index modulation saturated around a dose of 8 x 1016 ions/cm2
in tungsten-tellurite glass. Annealing of
the implanted waveguides resulted in a reduction of the propagation loss, but also reduced the number of supported
guiding modes at the lower doses. We report on the first working waveguides fabricated in an alkali earth halide crystal
implanted by MeV energy medium-mass ions.
Slab waveguides were fabricated in tellurite glasses by means of nitrogen ion implantation, using a wide range of ion doses (from 5x1012 to 8x1016 ions/cm2), in order to investigate their effects on the induced refractive index change. The results of the characterization, carried out by means of dark-line spectroscopy, show the presence of an optical barrier with a decrease of the refractive index at the end of range. Annealing post-implantation process was performed at different temperatures on higher doses (≥1016 ions/cm2) ion implanted slab waveguides and the characterization showed a decrease of the barrier effect probably due to a corresponding reduction of the defects inside the glass matrix.
Fabrication of channel waveguides in Er-doped tungsten-tellurite glasses was recently demonstrated. In order to get a
deeper understanding of the process and to optimize the characteristics of the waveguides, we fabricated a set of planar
waveguides, each of 7 mm × 7 mm lateral dimensions, in an Er-doped tellurite glass sample by implantation of 1.5 MeV
nitrogen ions. Doses of the implanting ions ranged from 1 · 1016 to 8 · 1016 ions/cm2. The samples were studied using
interference phase contrast microscopy (Interphako), m-line spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The results
show that a barrier layer of reduced refractive index was created around the range of the implanted ions at every dose. It
is hoped that combination of the results obtained in these experiments with simulations for channel waveguides will
make it possible to optimize ion-implanted fabrication of integrated optical components in this tellurite glass.
Tellurite glasses are known to be highly promising materials for broadening the amplification bandwidth of Er3+-doped
waveguide amplifiers, as they have large stimulated emission cross sections and broad emission bandwidth around the
1.55 micron wavelength. Furthermore, they exhibit a wide transmission range, the lowest vibrational energy among oxide
glass formers, and good non linear properties. Nevertheless fabrication of waveguides in tellurite glasses appears to be a
challenging task and so far it has been reported only in a few papers. Here we report on the development of a method
based on high-energy ion beam irradiation to create active channel waveguides in a tungsten-tellurite glass doped with
Er2O3. The waveguide stripes have been realized by 1.5 MeV N+ irradiation of the glass sample through a silicon mask
with doses of 1.0 x 1016 ions/cm2 using a 5 MeV Van de Graaff accelerator. Multimode light propagation has indeed been
observed in these channels, confirming the effectiveness of this technique.
Interference microscopy was applied to direct microscopic observation of temporal evolution of phase holograms in
LiNbO3:Fe photorefractive crystals. First a hologram was recorded in the sample, and diffraction efficiency was
monitored during hologram build-up using inactinic laser light. Thus kinetics of hologram build-up could be
determined. The initial hologram was erased using white light. Then a series of write-erase cycles were performed with
increasing exposure times. Holograms were observed by interference microscope after each exposure. The time elapsed
between the exposure and the microscopic observation was negligible compared to the relaxation time of the hologram.
The obtained temporal evolution of grating profile gives a deeper insight into the physical mechanism of hologram
formation in photorefractive materials than simple diffraction efficiency measurements. A congruently grown sample of
LiNbO3 doped with 10-3 mol/mol Fe in melting was studied by the method above. Sample thickness was set to 300 &mgr;m
to allow correct microscopic observation. Plane-wave holograms were recorded in the samples using an Ar-ion laser at &lgr;
= 514 nm of grating constants of 3, 6.5 and 8.8&mgr;m.
A method, based on phase-contrast and interference microscopy, was developed for direct microscopic observation of temporal evolution of phase holograms in photorefractive crystals. Interference microscopy was adapted to the study of photorefractive holograms. First a hologram was recorded in the sample, and diffraction efficiency was monitored during hologram build-up using inactinic laser light. Thus kinetics of hologram build-up could be determined. The initial hologram was erased using white light. Then a series of write-erase cycles were performed with increasing exposure times up to an exposure corresponding to saturation of the grating. Holograms were observed by interference microscope after each exposure. The time elapsed between the exposure and the microscopic observation was negligible compared to the relaxation time of the hologram. The obtained temporal evolution of grating profile gives a deeper insight into the physical mechanism of hologram formation in photorefractive materials than diffraction efficiency measurements. Congruently grown samples of LiNbO3: Fe, with Fe concentrations in melting of 10-3 were studied by the above method. Sample thickness was set to 300 μm to allow correct microscopic observation. Plane-wave holograms were recorded in the samples using an Ar-ion laser at λ=514 nm of grating constants of 3.3 and 7.0 μm.
Much attention is currently being paid to the materials and processes that allow one to directly write or to imprint waveguiding structures and/or diffractive elements for optical integrated circuits by exposure from a source of photons, electrons or ions. Here a brief overview of the results achieved in our laboratories is presented, concerning the fabrication and characterization of optical guiding structures based on different materials and exposure techniques. These approaches include: electron and ion beam writing of waveguides in (poly)-crystalline lithium fluoride, uv-laser printing of waveguides and gratings in photorefractive glass thin films, and fs-laser writing in tellurite glasses. Properties and perspectives of these approaches are also discussed.
The aim of this work was to study the possibility of improving the resolution of digital holography. To achieve this goal we recorded digital holograms of microlines of width in the micrometer region in a lensless Fourier-transform setup. In such a way spatial frequency of the hologram can be reduced in high numerical aperture geometry. A He-Ne laser was used in the experiments. Holographic images of the test objects were reconstructed using two methods. The first one is based on fast Fourier-transform algorithm. The second one uses Monte-Carlo method. In our paper we present a comparative analysis of the reconstructed holographic images using these methods. The effects of limited resolution and nonlinearity of the CCD on the reconstructed image were included in the numerical reconstruction by multiplying the integrand of the Fresnel-Kirchhoff integral by the product of two functions, describing of the above characteristic of the CCD. This method can serve as a basis for resolution enhancement in DH via de-convolution.
A large number of plane-wave holograms were recorded in Agfa-Gevaert 8E75HD holographic plates, at a wide range of bias exposures and fringe visibilities. The plates were processed by various combinations of developers (AAC, Pyrogallol and Catechol) and bleaching agents (R-9 and EDTA). The phase gratings were studied by phase-contrast microscopy, using a high-power immersion (100 X) objective. The phase contrast photomicrographs were Fourier-analyzed. Thus first- second- and third-order modulation of the refractive index as a function of the bias exposure and the visibility of the recording interference pattern could be determined. The ratio of the amplitudes of the higher-order modulations to that of the first-order one can serve as a measure of the nonlinearity of the holographic recording.
A large number of plane-wave holograms were recorded in Agfa-Gevaert 8E75HD holographic plates, at a wide range of bias exposures and fringe visibilities. The plates were processed by various combinations of developers (AAC, Pyrogallol and Catechol) and bleaching agents (R-9 and EDTA). A pair of absorption and phase holograms was recorded at each value of the recording parameters. Optical densities before bleaching were determined using the absorption holograms. Then each phase grating was studied by phase-contrast microscopy, using a high-power immersion (100 X) objective. Thus modulation of the refractive index as a function of the bias exposure and the visibility of the recording interference pattern could be determined. To characterize the processing, the modulation of the refractive index of the processed phase holograms was related to the amplitude of the optical density modulation obtained at the development step. These characteristics are especially useful for the comparison of various bleaching agents used with the same developer. Characteristics of similar forms were obtained for all the processing types, with significant differences in the slope and extent of the curves, so that sensitivity, linearity and dynamic range of the processes could be compared directly.
Lin-curves of plane-wave phase holograms recorded in Agfa-Gevaert 8E75HD emulsions were measured for the combinations of AAC developer and the R9 bleaching agent. Then each holographic grating was studied by phase-contrast microscopy, using both medium-power (40 X) and high-power immersion (100 X) objectives. Thus, besides of the Lin-curves, the modulation of the refractive index as a function of the bias exposure and the visibility of the recording interference pattern can also been determined. This latter characteristics is used in coupled wave theory to calculate the diffraction efficiency of holographic gratings, thus the measured diffraction efficiencies can be compared to those predicted by the theory. Moreover, this direct study of the phase profile of the gratings can be used for optimising processing.
It is well known that the macroscopic characteristics describing holographic materials are determined by the physical and chemical processes taking place at a microscopic level during and after exposure and during processing. Very well controlled and systematic measurements have been carried out to determine for the first time the 'complex' nonlinear characteristics of a silver halide material (processed to obtain phase holograms), i.e. to measure its Lin-curves (square-root of diffraction efficiency as a function of bias exposure and fringe visibility) in a range of grating spatial ferquencies. In such a way both the MTF and the nonlinearity of the material can be determined. An analytical function was fitted to the measured data, allowing for the use of these characteristics in the assessment of the quality of the reconstructed holographic image using the method (based on the double Fresnel-Kirchhoff integral) developed by the author.
Transmission phase gratings have been designed and fabricated in glass samples via implantation of helium and nitrogen ions of energies in the 500 keV - 1.6 MeV range, through photoresist masks. Both mono- and multienergy implantations have been applied. Diffraction efficiencies of the gratings as function of the energy and dose of the ion implantation were measured.The phase profiles of the lines of the gratings have also been measured directly via interference and phase contrast-microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Diffraction efficiencies up to 20 % have been obtained.
In the course of experiments on measurement of the effects of processing on nonlinear characteristics of silver halide holograms recorded in Agfa-gevaert 8E75HD emulsions we found that, under certain circumstances, the AAC developer acted as a semi-physical developer instead of the normal chemical developing action. The developed and fixed holograms were of low optical density (<0.5) and of high diffraction efficiency (up to 15%). Phase contrast microscopy revealed that very clean phase gratings were obtained. This effect of the AAC developer was due to the replacement of one of its components, sodium carbonate of purest grade with that of for analysis grade of the same company.
Transmission phase gratings of grating constants of 4, 6, 8 and 12 micrometers have been designed and fabricated in glass samples via implantation of helium and nitrogen ions of energies in the 500 keV - 1.6 MeV range, through photoresist masks of thickness of 3.3 micrometers . Both mono- and multienergy implantations have been applied. The gratings have been studied by measuring the diffraction efficiencies. The phase profiles of the lines of the gratings have also been measured directly via interference and phase contrast microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the profile of the implanted gratings differed significantly from the quasi rectangular profile of the mask, especially in case of the two finest gratings. The highest first order diffraction efficiencies were around 20%. The dependence of the efficiencies of the gratings on the energy and dose of the implantation have been measured.
A novel method for the characterization of the processing of both absorption and phase holograms was proposed. Differently from the previous models, the square root of the diffraction efficiency of the processed hologram was directly related to the amplitude of the optical density modulation obtained at the development step. This characteristic is a good indicator of the degree of nonlinearity of the hologram processing. While the Lin functions of phase hologram re similar to those of absorption holograms, the shape of the proposed function is completely different. Optical density and diffraction efficiency of holograms recorded in Agfa-Gevaert 8E75HD plates and processed with AAC developer and a solvent bleach without fixation step were measured and used for the demonstration of the method.
A model of holographic recording in thermoplastic materials has been developed. The effects of the nonlinear characteristic and the MTF of the material were included in a double Fresnel-Kirchhoff integral to evaluate the reconstructed image. The model was applied to calculate the reconstructed images of microline objects (3 and 5-element Ronchi rulings). The results suggest that it is possible to reconstruct high resolution images from such holograms by optimizing the recording conditions.
Photopolymerizable formulations exhibiting a fair sensitivity in the near IR were developed. These materials were formulated of a mixture of acrylate multifunctional monomers and oligomers with an initiating system working through a photoredox process. Depending on the spectrum of the sensitizers, this system absorbs various laser lines in the red (Kr+ at 676, 752 and 799 nm or laser diode at (lambda) > 750 nm). In particular, it was holographed with a monomode laser diode emitting in the 780 nm region, and bright transmission gratings were obtained. Typically, an exposure of ca. 500 mJ/cm2 is necessary to reach complete inactivation of the material and to produce gratings with diffraction efficiency exceeding 40% with a spatial frequency of 800 lines/mm. The quality of the holographic recording was studied by recording multiple series of holograms of a resolution test target. In addition, these materials that contain crosslinkable monomers and convert to a tridimensional network upon irradiation, show a self-processing character allowing storage of optical information in situ. The applicability of this material to real time holographic interferometry was demonstrated.
A model capable of evaluating the effects of several important experimental factors on high resolution holographic images is presented in this paper. The present form of the model includes the following experimental factors: the aberrations due to the angular misadjustment of the hologram at reconstruction and those caused by the uneven thickness of the glass substrate, the Gaussian intensity profile of the auxiliary waves and the finite spatial resolution and nonlinearity of the recording material. Based on the use of the general form of the scalar Fresnel-Kirchhoff integral, the model makes it possible to take into account any combination of these factors simultaneously. Numerical calculations were carried out for high numeric aperture holograms of microline objects.
A new method for the evaluation of the effects of the finite spatial resolution of the recording material on the reconstructed holographic image is presented. The method is based on substitution of the amplitude modulation transfer function (the square root of the modulation transfer function) of the recording material into the double Fresnel-Kirchhoff integral describing the complex amplitude of the reconstructed image. Numerical calculations have been carried out for holograms recorded in silver halide and thermoplastic-photoconductor materials. The contrast of the reconstructed image as a function of various recording parameters, such as the resolution limit and slope (in case of silver halides), and the center and width (in case of thermoplastics) of the amplitude modulation transfer function of the recording material, the object position and the reference beam angle has been computed. Thin holograms of microline objects have been studied in several recording geometries, including one with a tilted object plane.
Diffraction efficiency and scattering have been measured and plotted as a function of exposure of the holograms produced with seven known developers and four known bleaches. Holograms were recorded on Agfa-Gevaert 8E75 HD and Kodak 649F plates using an Nd:YAG pulsed laser at 532 nm wavelength.
An exact method for the evaluation of the effects of the finite spatial resolution and the nonlinearity of the recording material on the reconstructed holographic image is presented in this paper. This new method is based on substitution of the amplitude transfer function and the amplitude diffraction efficiency vs. bias exposure and beam ratio characteristics of the recording material to the double Fresnel-Kirchoff integral descripting the complex amplitude of the reconstructed image. All the above characteristics have been fitted by analytical functions. The contrast of the reconstructed image as a function of various parameters such as the spatial resolution limit of the recording material, the object position, and the beam ratio has been computed by numerical quadrature of the above mentioned integral. Numerical calculations have been carried out for thin amplitude holograms of microline objects in several different recording geometries, including those with a tilted object plane.
The effect of the following factors degrading the resolution of the reconstructed holographic image have been studied: the angular misadjustment of the hologram or that of the reconstruction wave at reconstruction, the thickness variations of the hologram substrate, the Gaussian intensity profile of the auxiliary waves, and the finite spatial resolution of the recording medium. The above effects have been studied in five recording geometries with point and line sources. Practical tolerances of certain parameters for maintaining image quality were given where is was applicable. It was the unevenness of the substrate that proved to be the cause of the most serious degradation of the reconstructed image. Some experimental demonstrations are also shown. In conclusion, practical rules for recording high resolution holograms are given.
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