Optical waveguide formed in Yb:GdCOB and Yb:YCOB crystals by 3.0MeV O+ implantation

Planar optical waveguides were formed in Yb:GdCOB and Yb:YCOB crystals by 3.0 MeV O+ ion implantation at fluence of 2 × 1015 ions/cm2 at room temperature, respectively. The prism coupling method was performed to characterize the dark-mode property of the waveguides. The refractive index profiles in the waveguides were reconstructed by reflectivity calculation method (RCM). The results show that after the implantation, a 1.5 μm-wide region with enhanced refractive-index was formed beneath the sample surfaces to act as waveguide structures for both Yb:GdCOB and Yb:YCOB.