Modeling of ion-exchanged glass waveguides

A detailed theoretical and experimental study of buried ion-exchanged waveguides is reported. The model of the ion concentration distribution in Ag+-Na+ ion exchanged glass, which is analyzed by numerical calculations, agrees well with our experiments showing that after the first ion-exchange, a half oval-shaped ion concentration distribution can be obtained in the substrate; and after the second ion-exchange, the radio-shaped ion concentration distribution presents. These results may be used to establish the necessary correlation between the ion-exchange process parameters and the waveguide characteristics.