Active waveguide devices by Ag-Na ion exchange on erbium-ytterbium doped phosphate glasses

Arrays of buried channel waveguide lasers and amplifiers were fabricated by silver-sodium ion exchange in erbium-ytterbium doped phosphate glass substrates. The fabrication process, consisting of a thermal diffusion from fused salt followed by a field-assisted burial step, is optimized to get single-mode channel arrays fully compatible with standard single-mode fibres and fibre ribbon cables. The active channels were successfully tested realizing both lasers and amplifiers in the C-band suitable for optical communications. Erbium waveguide lasers exhibit a maximum output power of similar to1.7 mW and erbium-doped waveguide amplifiers provide a maximum internal gain of similar to11.3 dB at 1534 nm. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.