Hannover 2016 – scientific programme
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K: Fachverband Kurzzeitphysik
K 3: Laser Applications and Laser Matter Interactions I
K 3.4: Talk
Tuesday, March 1, 2016, 15:50–16:10, f428
Low-loss femtosecond laser written waveguides in PMMA — •Welm Pätzold1, Carsten Reinhardt2, Ayhan Demircan1,3, and Uwe Morgner1,2 — 1Institut für Quantenoptik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Welfengarten 1, 30167 Hannover — 2Laserzentrum Hannover e.V., Hollerithallee 8, 30419 Hannover — 3Hannoversche Zentrum für optische Technologien, Nienburger Straße 17, 30167 Hannover
We present recent results of low-loss femtosecond laser written wave-guides in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The laser pulses get focused inside the bulk material and an increase in refractive index is induced by non-linear absorption. The measured propagation losses of these embedded waveguides are well below 1 dB/cm for visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Utilizing a refocusing effect, we achieve guiding of an almost symmetric fundamental mode. Influences of the most important writing parameters such as pulse energy, writing speed and repetition rate are investigated. The three-dimensional capabilities of this process in combination with low propagation losses make it a good candidate for rapid prototyping applications on a large scale, such as in polymer foils.