Optical ridge waveguides in Nd:LGS crystal produced by combination of swift C5+ ion irradiation and precise diamond blade dicing

• Ridge waveguides first fabricated in Nd:LGS crystal.
• Good guiding properties of ridge waveguides at 632.8 nm and 1064 nm.
• Fluorescence properties well preserved in waveguides.

We report on the fabrication of optical ridge waveguides in Nd:LGS crystal by using combination of swift C5+ ion irradiation and precise diamond blade dicing. The ridge structures support guidance both at 632.8 nm and 1064 nm wavelength along the TE and TM polarizations. The lowest propagation losses of the ridge waveguide for the TM mode are ~1.6 dB/cm at 632.8 nm and ~1.2 dB/cm at 1064 nm, respectively. The investigation of micro-fluorescence spectra and micro-Raman spectra indicates that the Nd3+ luminescence features have been well preserved and the microstructure of the waveguide region has no significant change after C5+ ion irradiation.