Embedded optical waveguides fabricated in SF10 glass by low-repetition-rate ultrafast laser

Symmetric embedded waveguides were fabricated in heavy metal oxide SF10 glass using slit-shaped infrared femtosecond laser writing in the low-repetition frequency regime. The impact of the writing parameters on the waveguide formation in the transverse writing scheme was systemically studied. Results indicate that efficient waveguides can be inscribed in a wide parameter space ranging from 500 fs to 1.5 ps pulse duration, 0.7-4.2 mu J pulse energy, and 5 mu m/s to 640 mu m/s scan speed and pointing out the robustness of the photoinscription process. The refractive index profile reconstructed from the measured near field pattern goes up to 10(-3). In addition, propagation losses of the waveguides are tolerable, with the lowest propagation loss estimated at 0.7 dB/cm. With a 5 mu m/s scan speed and 3.5 mu J pulse energy in a high-dose regime, few-mode guiding was achieved in the waveguide at 800 nm signal injection wavelength. This is due to a combination of increased refractive index in the core of the trace and the appearance of a depressed cladding. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America