实验研究了基于KNO3稀释AgNO3混合熔盐离子交换法制备的镀有BK7玻璃保护层的N31型掺钕磷酸玻璃平面波导。采用棱镜耦合技术测试了其波导的有效折射率,应用1WBK方法拟合了其折射率分布。实验结果表明:在一定的扩散时间(5~7h)和交换温度(360-380℃)范围内,KNO3与AgNO3混合熔盐比对波导制备的影响起主导作用,引起的表面折射率的变化可达到0.025;BK7玻璃保护层对热离子交换掺钕磷酸盐玻璃表面起到了很好的保护作用,获得了良好的导模传输特性,其光传输损耗约为0.9dB/cm。
The planar waveguides in Nd-doped phosphate glass with protection of BK7 glass thin film are fabricated by means of ion-exchange technique using mixed molten salt of AgNO3 diluted with KNO3. The effective refractive index of the waveguides is measured by prism-coupled technique, and their refractive index profiles are fitted via IWBK method. Experimental results show that: the ratio of the mixed molten salt of AgNO3 and KNO3 plays a dominant role in preparation of these waveguides under the condition of the diffusion time (5-7h) and the exchange temperature range (360- 380℃ ), causing the surface refractive index change is 0. 025 ; BK7 glass thin film can protect perfectly the surface of Nddoped phosphate glass waveguides during the thermal ion-exchange processing, and these waveguides have a good propagation property, the a propagation loss is 0. 9dB/cm.