Photorefractivity and luminescence properties of Sn-doped SiO2 glass

Tin-doped silica glass has been recently investigated as photosensitive optical material for optoelectronic device applications. The mechanisms responsible for the material photosensitivity and the optical activity induced by Sn doping are presented. Studies performed on perform slides and on sol-gel bulk samples show that the refractive index change can be ascribed to structural rearrangements induced by photochemical reactions. Photoluminescence measurements indicate that tin atoms are embedded in Sn-substituted Si sites of the silica network. The modified structure shows extremely high stability, and gratings written in fibers exhibit a negligible erasure in 30 minutes below 600 °C. At high UV radiation fluences the refractive index modulation saturates and does not exhibit any decrease. Optical measurements and electron paramagnetic resonance data show that different processes contribute to the refractive index change. The comparison between samples with and without optical absorption at the UV laser wavelength shows that the presence and the consequent laser-induced bleaching of the 5 eV absorption band due to oxygen deficient centers does not appear crucial for photosensitivity. In fact a refractive index change is also observed in samples without detectable absorption at this energy.

[1]  Victor Mizrahi,et al.  248 nm induced vacuum UV spectral changes in optical fibre preform cores: support for a colour centre model of photosensitivity , 1993 .

[2]  Norberto Chiodini,et al.  Thermally induced segregation of SnO2 nanoclusters in Sn-doped silica glasses from oversaturated Sn-doped silica xerogels , 2001 .

[3]  P. Lemaire,et al.  High pressure H/sub 2/ loading as a technique for achieving ultrahigh UV photosensitivity and thermal sensitivity in GeO/sub 2/ doped optical fibres , 1993 .

[4]  D C Johnson,et al.  Photosensitization of optical fiber and silica-on-silicon/silica waveguides. , 1993, Optics letters.

[5]  Norberto Chiodini,et al.  Sol-gel synthesis of monolithic tin-doped silica glass , 1999 .

[6]  Gilberto Brambilla,et al.  Photorefractive index gratings in SnO2:SiO2 optical fibers , 2000 .

[7]  M. Martini,et al.  Excitation channels of the 4.3 eV photoluminescence in GeSiO2 , 1996 .

[8]  Linards Skuja,et al.  Isoelectronic series of twofold coordinated Si, Ge, and Sn atoms in glassy SiO2: a luminescence study , 1992 .

[9]  G. Meltz,et al.  Formation of Bragg gratings in optical fibers by a transverse holographic method. , 1989, Optics letters.

[10]  Bragg gratings in ternary SiO(2):SnO(2):Na(2)O optical glass fibers. , 2000, Optics letters.

[11]  Linards Skuja,et al.  The origin of the intrinsic 1.9 eV luminescence band in glassy SiO2 , 1994 .

[12]  D N Payne,et al.  Strong photosensitive gratings in tin-doped phosphosilicate optical fibers. , 1995, Optics letters.

[13]  R. Kashyap,et al.  Enhanced UV photosensitivity in boron codoped germanosilicate fibres , 1993 .

[14]  R. R. Khrapko,et al.  Grating formation in a germanium free silicon oxynitride fibre , 1997 .

[15]  D N Payne,et al.  Photoinduced absorption change in germanosilicate preforms: evidence for the color-center model of photosensitivity. , 1995, Applied optics.

[16]  Victor Mizrahi,et al.  Observations of changes in UV absorption bands of singlemode germanosilicate core optical fibres on writing and thermally erasing refractive index gratings , 1992 .

[17]  Don Monroe,et al.  DECAY OF ULTRAVIOLET-INDUCED FIBER BRAGG GRATINGS , 1994 .

[18]  K. Hill,et al.  Photosensitivity in optical fiber waveguides: Application to reflection filter fabrication , 1978 .

[19]  G. Brambilla, V. Pruneri, L. Reekie, A. Paleari, N. C.  High Photosensitivity in SnO 2 :SiO 2 Optical Fibers , 2001 .

[20]  G. Spinolo,et al.  Identification of Sn variants of the E' center in Sn-doped SiO 2 , 1998 .

[21]  Norberto Chiodini,et al.  Vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectrum of photorefractive Sn-doped silica fiber preforms , 2001 .

[22]  L. Reekie,et al.  Enhanced photosensitivity in tin-codoped germanosilicate optical fibers , 1995, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[23]  P ? ? ? ? ? ? ? % ? ? ? ? , 1991 .

[24]  Norberto Chiodini,et al.  OPTICAL TRANSITIONS OF PARAMAGNETIC GE SITES CREATED BY X-RAY IRRADIATION OF OXYGEN-DEFECT-FREE GE-DOPED SIO2 BY THE SOL-GEL METHOD , 1999 .

[25]  G. Brambilla,et al.  Enhanced photosensitivity in germanosilicate fibers exposed to CO2 laser radiation. , 1999, Optics letters.

[26]  L. Skuja.  Optically active oxygen-deficiency-related centers in amorphous silicon dioxide , 1998 .

[27]  G. G. Stokes.  "J." , 1890, The New Yale Book of Quotations.

[28]  Kawamura,et al.  Photochemical reactions in GeO2-SiO2 glasses induced by ultraviolet irradiation: Comparison between Hg lamp and excimer laser. , 1995, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[29]  Nishikawa,et al.  Decay kinetics of the 4.4-eV photoluminescence associated with the two states of oxygen-deficient-type defect in amorphous SiO2. , 1994, Physical review letters.

[30]  Marc Douay,et al.  Ultraviolet-enhanced photosensitivity in cerium-doped aluminosilicate fibers and glasses through high-pressure hydrogen loading , 1997 .