Composition dependence of the photoinduced refractive-index change in leadsilicate glasses

A large photoinduced refractive-index change (as great as Delta n = 0.21 +/ - 0.04) is obtained in lead silicate glasses by irradiation with the freque ncy-quadrupled output of a Q-switched YAG laser (266 nm). An approximately exponential relationship is found between the photoinduced refractive-index change and the lead cation mole fraction over the composition range from 1 8.7% to 57%. The induced refractive-index change is permanent and shows no decay after heating to 360 degrees C during 1. Dispersion of the refractive -index change suggests that the photosensitivity is associated with changes in the intrinsic glass absorption edge. (C) 1999 Optical Society of Americ a. Society of America.