Mechanism of femtosecond-laser induced refractive index change in phosphate glass under a low repetition-rate regime

Abstract

Raman microscopy and refractive near-field profilometry were used to analyze waveguides written in Yb-doped Kigre QX glass under the low repetition-rate (noncumulative-heating) regime. It was found that femtosecond-laser induced refractive index change was due to an increase in the proportion of Q1 P-tetrahedra and the associated increase in the polarizability of the glass. The role of color center formation and removal in this process is clearly defined, phosphorous–oxygen hole centers (POHCs) and PO3− ions form as a result of P–O bonds being broken during the modification process, and the subsequent removal of POHCs give rise to the increased proportion of Q1 P-tetrahedra. This result, when compared to other studies undertaken in the cumulative-heating regime, show conclusively that the mechanism of refractive index change in a particular type of glass can be very different, depending on the irradiation conditions.