FLUORIDE GLASS PLANAR OPTICAL WAVE-GUIDES

Ionic exchange techniques have been applied to multicomponent indium-b ased fluoride glasses in order to develop a gradient index structure h aving the properties of a planar optical waveguide. Several molten sal ts have been tested with the aim of exchanging Na+ by Li+ or K+. When the melt is an Li+-rich organic salt and when the grass sample contain s about 15% Na+, the formation of a gradient index profile is characte rized by 'm-lines' experiments. Depending on time and temperature of i mmersion, one, two or three modes of propagation have been detected in this new generation of waveguides. They are potential candidates for active and passive integrated optics operating in the visible and mid- infrared.