Planar optical waveguide fabricated by silicon ion implantation into AgGaS2 crystal

We report a planar optical waveguide in AgGaS2 crystal that is fabricated by 3.0 MeV Si+ ion implantation at a dose of 1 × 1015 ions/cm2 at room temperature. A classic m-lines arrangement is performed to investigate the waveguide properties by measuring the dark modes. The reconstructed refractive index profiles show, at the near surface region, that the extraordinary index increases while the ordinary index decreases. Two TE modes and one TM mode are considered to be real propagation modes from a waveguide mode analysis. The nuclear energy loss distribution of the Si ions into AgGaS2 shows an inherent relationship between the waveguide formation and the energy deposition of the energetic ions.