CdS- and PbS-doped silica-titania optical waveguides

Silica-titania optical waveguides doped with CdS and PbS were prepared by the sol-gel method. Thiourea was used as an internal source for sulfur. Cadmium and lead were introduced as acetates. Using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and Ti(OBu)4 as precursors for silica and titania, films with typical thickness of 0.15 - 0.2 micrometers were obtained. In order to obtain thicker layers TEOS was substituted with methyltriethoxysilane (MTES). The effect of this precursor on solution and waveguide properties is discussed.