Nanosize structural modifications with polarization functions in ultrafast laser irradiated fused silica

Konstantin Mishchik (1) , Guanghua Cheng (1, 2) , G. Huo (2) , Igor M. Burakov (3) , Cyril Mauclair (1) , Alexandre Mermillod-Blondin (1) , Arkadi Rosenfeld (4) , Youcef Ouerdane (1) , Aziz Boukenter (1) , Olivier Parriaux (1) , Razvan Stoian (1)

1 LHC - Laboratoire Hubert Curien
2 State Key Laboratory of Transient Optics and Photonics,
3 ITP - Institute of Thermophysics
4 MBI - Max-Born-Institut für Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie

Laser-induced self-organization of regular nanoscale layered patterns in fused silica is investigated using spectroscopy and microscopy methods, revealing a high presence of stable broken oxygen bonds. Longitudinal traces are then generated by replicating static irradiation structures where the nanoscale modulation can cover partially or completely the photoinscribed traces. The resulting birefringence, the observed anisotropic light scattering properties, and the capacity to write and erase modulated patterns can be used in designing bulk polarization sensitive devices. Various laser-induced structures with optical properties combining guiding, scattering, and polarization sensitivity are reported. The attached polarization functions were evaluated as a function of the fill factor of the nanostructured domains. The polarization sensitivity allows particular light propagation and confinement properties in three dimensional structures.

Mots clés: laser nanostructuring

Domaines: Optique / photonique

Konstantin Mishchik, Guanghua Cheng, G. Huo, Igor M. Burakov, Cyril Mauclair, et al.. Nanosize structural modifications with polarization functions in ultrafast laser irradiated fused silica. Optics Express, 2010, 18 (24), pp.24809. ⟨ujm-00542991⟩