Fluoride glass planar optical waveguides by cationic exchange

A new technology has been developed to produce integrated optical components by cation-exchange on fluoride glass substrates from alkali-containing molten salts. A systematic study allows a correlation between the process parameters and the waveguide characteristics: depending on the process parameters, 1 to 4 modes of propagation have been put into evidence for 0.633 mu m wavelength on graded-index planar waveguides. The refractive index profile of one planar waveguide has been determined. For the first time, a channel waveguide has been made on a fluoride glass substrate.