Doped chalcogenide glass thin films deposited by pulsed laser ablation

Abstract

Pr³⁺-doped chalcogenide glass (GeS₂-Ga₂S₃-CsI) targets were ablated in vacuum (1x10^-5 Pa) by XeCl laser pulses. The deposited films were plane, smooth, well adhesive to the substrate and with a composition close to the target one. The film thickness ranged from approximately 500 nm to approximately 2000 nm. The transmittance and reflectance of the deposited films were measured in the range 400 - 2500 nm. The transmittance resulted higher than 80% for wavelengths longer than 900 nm. The optical indices n and k were calculated from the experimental curve as a function of wavelength by means of a commercial computer code. The feasibility of waveguide amplifiers and laser made of Pr³⁺-doped chalcogenide glass was investigated by an implemented computer code.