Effects of Dye on Formation and Properties of Light-Induced Self-Written Waveguide

The effects of rhodamine 6G dye on the formation and properties of a light-induced self-written waveguide (LISW) were demonstrated. We dispersed the 0.01 wt% dye in a conventional UV-curable resin and formed the LISW using a green laser. The excessive laser irradiation, which decomposed the dye, induced the solid cladding of the LISW at a wavelength which was shorter than the optical absorption peak. Thus, the dye was used not only as a sensitizer but also as the dominant factor for controlling the refractive index difference between the core and the solid cladding of the all-solid LISW.