Transparent surface crystallized glasses in the rare-earth doped bismuth borate system have been successfully fabricated. The irradiation of CW YAG laser with a wavelength of 1064nm induces sharp refractive-index changes or crystalline dot formation, depending on Sm2O3 content in the glasses. In 10Sm2O3-30Bi2O3-60B2O3 glass, refractive-index changes (not crystallites) are induced by laser irradiations (power: 1W, time: 1-250s), and spherical spots with 2-45µm are formed. In 12.5Sm2O3-30Bi2O3-57.5B2O3 glass, crystalline dots with the diameters of 5-65µm are formed by laser irradiations (power:0.5-0.7W, timesL1-250s). It is found that the crystalline dots generate second harmonic waves. Refractive-index changes by YTAG laser irradiations are confirmed in 10Dy2O3-30Bi2O3-60B2O3 glass. In 10Sm2O3-35Bi2O3-55B2O3 glasses, 2-dimentional crystalline line patterns can be fabricated by scanning laser spots with the speeds of 1-10 µm·s-1. These crystalline lines have wave-guide structure with second order optical non linearity.
© 2002 Optical Society of AmericaPDF Article