Photodarkening in Tb³⁺-doped phosphosilicate and germanosilicate optical fibers

Abstract

The presence of Tb³⁺ is found to sensitize greatly phosphosilicate and germanosilicate optical fibers to photodarkening when they are exposed to 488-nm light. The darkening is a three-photon process and may involve the photoionization of Tb³⁺ to Tb⁴⁺. This sensitivity raises the possibility of side writing refractive-index gratings into silica-based optical fibers with 488-nm light.

© 1994 Optical Society of America

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