Er-Yb Waveguide Amplifiers in Novel Silicate Glasses

• Published in: IEEE journal of quantum electronics 2008-06, Vol.44 (6), p.536-541
• Main Authors: Ondracek, F., Jagerska, J., Salavcova, L., Mika, M., Spirkova, J., Ctyroky, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Channel waveguides; Chemicals; Er-Yb-doped glass; Erbium; Glass; ion exchange; Optical amplifiers; Optical design; Optical pumping; optical waveguide amplifier; Optical waveguides; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 0018-9197; 1558-1713
• DOI: 10.1109/JQE.2008.918302

A set of novel silicate glasses containing ZnO and co-doped with Er 3+ and Yb 3+ was designed as substrates for optical waveguide amplifiers. Characterized by exceptionally low up-conversion, minimum Er concentration quenching and high mechanical as well as chemical stability, the reported glasses can compete with phosphate-based materials typically used in the state-of-art active devices. Straight channel waveguides with propagation losses as low as 0.18 dB/cm were fabricated in these substrates using Ag + hArr Na + and K + hArr Na + thermal ion exchange. Net on-chip gain values of 6.7 dB at 1537 nm were measured and a net fiber to-fiber gain of 5 dB was achieved when pumped at 976 nm. A six-level spatially resolved numerical model of an Er-Yb co-doped active waveguide was developed to analyze and optimize the amplifier performance. Modification of the rare-earth dopant concentration and the channel waveguide geometry was proposed to increase the gain figure and improve the overall amplifier efficiency.