Determination of refractive index profiles of Ag+-Na+ ion-exchange multimode strip waveguides by variable wavefront shear double-refracting interferometry microinterferometry

The results of experimental determination of multimode strip waveguide refractive index profiles and Ag concentration profiles obtained by using the variable wavefront shear double-refracting interferometry microinterferometer Biolar PI and an electron microprobe are presented. The strip waveguides under investigation are formed in soda lime glass in an external electric-fieldassisted Ag+-Na+ ion-exchange process from the molten AgNO3 salt by use of dielectric masks with channel apertures. A dry electrochemical technique of dielectric mask formation is applied. The influence of waveguide-forming parameters on the shape of Ag concentration profiles and the range of silver diffusion are shown. Changes in the usually assumed boundary conditions of electric-field calculations in ion-exchange numerical modeling are suggested.