Space-selective Precipitation and Control of Functional Crystals in Glasses by a Femtosecond Laser

Femtosecond laser micro-processing received much attention in the past decade. The nature of ultra-short light-matter interaction permits femtosecond laser to overcome the diffraction limit and realize precise micro-processing. The ultrahigh light intensity of the femtosecond laser allows sapece-selective microscopic modifications to materials based on multiphoton processes. In this paper, we review our recent research development on space-selective precipitation and control of functional crystals in glasses by an infrared femtosecond laser. The technique will open new possibilities in the fabrication of micro-optical components with various optical functions.