Single mode potassium and silver ion-exchanged glass waveguides with low losses and high index increase

An improved method for fabricating single mode, low loss optical waveguides using a two step potassium and silver ion exchange in glass is reported. The waveguides are compatible with optical fibers and butt coupling of diode lasers. Propagation losses, down to 0.4 dB/cm, are measured for a wavelength of 780 nm. In the single mode waveguide, an index increase of 1% is obtained, which allows small bending losses for curvatures with a radius down to 2 mm.