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Laser-induced glass processing has led to huge progress and applications over the last two decades. Here, we review recent advances in femtosecond laser-induced photochemistry in isotropic transparent oxide glasses specifically tailored with silver photoactive agents. The understanding of the influence of the considered glass matrix on the nature and properties of the created silver species is of prime importance. After presenting the key material properties, the formation mechanisms of laser-induced silver-based species are discussed, and potential technological applications are highlighted. Laser-induced processing of silver-containing oxide glasses paved the way for the fabrication of complex integrated waveguides and optical circuits with innovative fluorescent, nonlinear optical, and plasmonic properties. The universality of the method is expected to extend in any glass material that shows a similar laser-induced behavior in terms of silver cluster production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal poling using microstructured electrodes on oxyfluoride glasses have been investigated and the impact on optical properties was evaluated. A micrometer refractive index modification based on the sodium and fluorine migration has been evidenced, through the creation of a layer with different chemical composition as compared to the original glass. Topological and optical properties modifications after poling treatment are discussed. For the first time, we described the migration of negative fluorine ion in the direction of the cathode from the glass network. Na and F migration led to a layer richer in oxides with a strong contrast of + 0.06 of the refractive index in the imprinted structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver-containing glasses are promising candidates for photonic applications, due to the potentiality of spectroscopic properties of silver nanoclusters (NC's) and/or silver metallic nanoparticles. In this framework, silver-containing fluorophosphate glasses are candidates with a strong potential. Indeed, combined with femtosecond laser irradiation, silver NC's may be tailored in three-dimensional fluorescent micro-structures, whose spectroscopic properties have been investigated, revealing the creation of silver NC's but also of NP's during laser irradiation in the studied fluorophosphate glass. Additionally, the photo-inscription of silver NC's is correlatively accompanied by a positive index change, which has led to the demonstration of optical waveguiding behavior. Finally, the management of the reservoir of available silvers for laser inscription is investigated. Unlike previous observations made in standard oxide phosphate glasses, the considered silver-containing fluorophosphate glass exhibes an intriguing ability to be re-written when subjected to successive overlapping laser irradiations. Upon the optimization of compositions with tailored photo-sensitivity, the re-writable ability of fluorophosphate glasses paves the way to the design of advanced photonic devices such as photonic optical circuits, evanescent sensors or 3D high-density optical data storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report on the micro- and nano-structuring of a silver-containing zinc phosphate glass under high repetition rate femtosecond near-infrared laser exposure. Luminescent silver clusters are locally formed thanks to multi-photon absorption. The excitation mechanisms in the glass are investigated with a transient absorption pump-probe experiment. The free electron density of the femtosecond-laser-induced ionized material for irradiation conditions leading to structural modifications is measured. We show that the involved photo-excitation process in the laser–glass interaction is a four-photon absorption and the measured free electron density is on the order of 1017 cm−3, four orders of magnitude below the critical electron density. The luminescence properties of these resulting structures have been investigated. Emission spectra are compared with those collected after different irradiations (γ and electron beams). The migration of silver species has been assigned to be responsible for local modifications and selective acid etching behavior of the structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]