If light diffracting through a photosensitive material increases the refractive index significantly, the diffraction of the beam can be overcome and a self-written waveguide starts to form. We report on the first observations of photosensitivity in potassium ion-exchanged Nd-doped (1.5-wt%) Bk7 borosilicate glass, and create self-written waveguides in this material. Gratings have previously been written in a similar material (ion-exchanged silica) where index changes in the order of 10{sup}(-5) were reported.
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