Mid-Infrared Photonic Devices Fabricated by Ultrafast Laser Inscription

Abstract : This report details the work cared out at Heriot-Watt University over the last threeyears on the project titled Mid-infrared photonic devices fabricated by ultrafast laserinscription (grant award number FA8655-13-1-3026). This research was done in veryclose collaboration with the Novel Laser Technologies group at Sensors DirectorateAFRL/RYDH at WPAFB in the USA. This project follows on from an initial grant thatlead to the developed of the first ZnSe waveguides. In this report will detail ourdevelopment of Cr:ZnSe waveguide laser in which we have demonstratedcontinuous wave, Modelocked and wavelength tuneable laser operation. Moving onfrom our work in Cr:ZnSe we started developing waveguides in Fe:ZnSe and havedemonstrated the first Fe:ZnSe waveguide laser. Once the base laser sources hadbeen developed the project moved on to the developed of waveguide component tofacilitate the creation of a wavelength tuneable Mid-IR laser with no free spaceoptical elements. To achieve this waveguides fabricated using ultrafast laserinscription in CaF2 and SBN have been developed at Heriot-Watt University.