Efficient self-phase modulation in low loss, high index doped silica glass integrated waveguides

We demonstrate efficient self phase modulation, as well as negligible nonlinear absorption, in low loss (<0.06 dB/cm), high index silica glass-based waveguides. Using similar to 1ps pulses near 1560nm we achieve a 1.5 pi nonlinear phase shift in an integrated 45cm long spiral waveguide with <60W of peak input power, corresponding to a large nonlinearity (gamma) of 220W(-1) km(-1). Further, we observe negligible nonlinear absorption for input intensities > 25 GW/cm(2). The high nonlinearity and low linear and nonlinear losses of these waveguides make them promising for nonlinear all-optical signal processing applications. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America