METHOD OF PHOTOSENSITIVITY OF GLASSES TO ULTRAFAST INFRARED LASER RADIATION USING HYDROGEN OR DEUTERIUM

摘要

A method of increasing the refractive index in a photosensitive glass is disclosed so as to induce an refractive index change of at least 10^-5 within a region of the glass. The method includes the step of providing a hydrogen or deuterium loaded doped glass material wherein a dopant within the glass is photosensitive to infrared radiation in the presence of hydrogen or deuterium. The hydrogen or deuterium loaded doped glass is subsequently irradiated with femtosecond pulses of infrared light having an intensity of at least 10⁹ W/cm² and less than 5x10¹³ W/cm².