Three-dimensional dielectric crystalline waveguide beam splitters in mid-infrared band by direct femtosecond laser writing

We report on the fabrication of three-dimensional waveguide beam splitters in a dielectric Bi4Ge3O12 (BGO) crystal by direct femtosecond laser writing. In the laser written tracks of BGO crystal, positive refractive index is induced, resulting in so-called Type I configuration waveguiding cores. The "multiscan" technique is utilized to shape cores with designed cross-sectional geometry in order to achieve guidance at mid-infrared wavelength of 4 mu m. The fundamental mode guidance along both TE and TM polarizations has been obtained in the waveguide structures. With this feature, we implement beam splitters from 2D to 3D geometries, and realize 1 x 2, 1 x 3, and 1 x 4 power splitting at 4 mu m. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America