title: Linear and nonlinear guidance in an ultralow loss planar glass membrane.
abstract: We describe the fabrication and characterization of a free-standing silica glass membrane waveguide formed using fiber fabrication processes. The membrane has a thickness of 0.6 microm and a width of 60 microm and is many meters long. The optical attenuation is measured as 0.4 dB/m. Such attenuation outperforms that of conventional planar waveguides by several orders of magnitude.
authors.affiliation: Photonic and Photonic Material Group, Department of Physics, University of Bath, BA2 7AY, UK. pysnaj@bath.ac.uk
authors.forename: N Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Joly
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Birks
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yulin
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: P St J
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Russell