UV-exposed Bragg gratings for laser applications in silver-sodium ion-exchanged phosphate glass waveguides.

High reflectivity Bragg gratings have been written by ArF excimer laser through a phase mask into IOG-1 hybrid phosphate glass. After grating exposure, a waveguide was fabricated by silver-sodium ion-exchange. Reflectivities around 80% at a wavelength of ~ 1535 nm were measured from the waveguide for both quasi-TE and -TM polarizations. Waveguide laser operation with the photowritten waveguide grating as another mirror was demonstrated. Output power of 3.8 mW with a pump power of 199 mW could be extracted from the laser configuration.