Optical Waveguides Formed by Proton Irradiation of Fused Silica*†

Abstract

Various techniques for fabricating optical waveguides for laser-oriented applications are being studied. A technique utilizing radiation-induced changes of refractive index in optical materials is presented; the particular waveguide considered is a fused-silica slab that has been irradiated with protons to produce a channel with a refractive index slightly higher than the unirradiated silica. This high-index channel serves as the waveguide core and the surrounding unirradiated region as the cladding.