Development of channel waveguide lasers in Nd3+-doped chalcogenide (Ga:La:S) glass through photoinduced material modification

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We report the development of a waveguide laser source in a neodymium-doped chalcogenide (Ga:La:S) glass. Channel waveguide structures were directly written via above band gap (λ=244 nm) illumination provided by a focused UV-laser beam with fluencies 1.5–150 J/cm2. Effects of photoinduced material modification in the form of surface compaction and photodensification were evident. Characterization revealed a low threshold waveguide laser with emission at 1075 nm and slope efficiency of 17%. The active device was spatially single mode and exhibited laser operation with 8.6 mW peak power and attenuation <0.5 dB cm−1.