Electro-optic effect induced in glass waveguides containing a charge-trapping layer

Abstract

Germanium-doped glass waveguides containing a thin silicon oxynitride layer as a charge trapper are thermally poled in air environment. The maximum electro-optic (EO) coefficient increases more than 20% compared to that induced in the waveguides without the trapping layer. The increased EO effect is attributed to the strength of the internal field by introducing the thin oxynitride layer in the waveguide structure. Our results demonstrate advantages of shaping the internal field to increase the optical nonlinearity in glass poling.