Abstract

A three-dimensional transient thermal modeling of laser-densified gel–silica microlenses is described. This model simulates the three-dimensional temperature distribution in a porous gel–silica glass irradiated by a CO₂ laser. The heat induced by the laser gives rise to a gradient in temperature, which creates a gradient in density and index of refraction. The laser-densified region functions as a microlens. The modeling results include a temperature distribution with time within a volume of 2 mm × 2 mm × 2 mm. The calculated temperature distributions compare well with the measured property distributions of the microlens including microhardness and the peak positions of the Si–O–Si stretching vibration mode in IR spectra across the lens.

© 1994 Optical Society of America

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