Poling

The project goals are to realize a fast optical switch for use in optical networks and to enable wavelength conversion processes (including second harmonic generation, SHG) in glass by using poling to break the efficient centro-symmetric structure of glass. Poling means to apply a very high voltage to the material and simultaneously heat it or expose it to laser radiation. Compared to existing electro-optic switches, a glass-based switch is potentially much cheaper and easier to integrate with optical fibers.
We have induced stable electro-optic effects in silica glass. No decay of the induced effect was observed after 18 months at room temperature. In 1999 we have roughly doubled the electro-optic effect and demonstrated almost 100 times improvement of the SHG coefficient. We have also observed low polarization dependence (