Photosensitization of terbium doped alumino-silicate fibres through high pressure H2 loading

Abstract Permanent photoinduced high index changes are reported for the first time to our knowledge in terbium doped alumino-silicate optical fibres exposed to pulsed UV laser light. The fibres were made photosensitive using the room temperature high pressure hydrogen loading technique. The dependence of photosensitivity on both terbium concentration and pump wavelength has been established. Both UV and visible absorption changes were investigated when fibres were exposed to pulsed UV laser irradiation. The net changes in the spectra failed to account for the observed UV induced refractive index changes according to Kramers-Kronig relationship. Preliminary results on the thermal behaviour of the gratings are also reported.

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