Laser-induced refractive index gratings formed in Pr3+-doped sodium-magnesium-aluminosilicate glasses

Abstract

We report a systematic study of grating formation in which the Pr2O3 concentration [Pr2O3] in sodium-magnesium-aluminosilicate glasses is varied from 0.5to5mol%. The grating kinetics is reported as functions of the [Pr2O3] and the write-beam irradiance. The maximum persistent change in the index of refraction was 1×10−5. The persistent change in the index of refraction initially decreased linearly as a function of the [Pr2O3] and showed a limiting behavior at the highest [Pr2O3]. No appreciable transient change in the index of refraction, Δntran, was measured. This was attributed to the low probability of the multiphonon relaxation of the P03 level of the Pr3+ ions as determined through fluorescence measurements. The results of this study are consistent with a recently developed small modifier diffusion model.