1.3-/spl mu/m emission of Nd:LaF/sub 3/ thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Author

Zhang, X. ; Lahoz, F. ; Serrano, C. ; Lacoste, G. ; Daran, E.

Author_Institution

Lab. of Excited State Processes, Acad. Sinica, Changchun, China

Volume

36

Issue

2

fYear

2000

Firstpage

243

Lastpage

247

Abstract

The 1.3-/spl mu/m emission of Nd/sup 3+/-doped LaF/sub 3/ thin films grown on LaF/sub 3/ and CaF/sub 2/ [111] substrates by molecular beam epitaxy is reported. The waveguide behavior of the heteroepitaxial layers has been demonstrated and the refractive indexes measured. Guided spectra have been obtained from these layers using a prism-coupling technique. The 1.3-/spl mu/m emission corresponding to the 4F/sub 3/2//spl rarr//sup 4/I/sub 3/2/ transition has been characterized as a function of Nd/sup 3+/ concentration and temperature. The relative efficiencies of different excitation bands were compared. The optimum concentration for Nd/sup 3+/ dopant has been found to be about 1 at.%. A narrowing of the emission lines is observed in the homoepitaxial layers compared to the heteroepitaxial layers. The decay of the luminescence of the /sup 4/F/sub 3/2/ level measured at room temperature is similar for homoepitaxial and heteroepitaxial layers.

Keywords

lanthanum compounds; laser transitions; molecular beam epitaxial growth; neodymium; optical fabrication; optical planar waveguides; photoluminescence; radiative lifetimes; refractive index; solid lasers; spectral line intensity; waveguide lasers; /sup 4/F/sub 3/2/ level; 1.3 mum; 298 K; 4F/sub 3/2/-/sup 4/I/sub 3/2/ transition; CaF/sub 2/ [111] substrate; LaF/sub 3/ substrate; LaF/sub 3/:Nd; Nd/sup 3+/; Nd/sup 3+/ dopant; Nd:LaF/sub 3/ thin films; concentration; emission lines; excitation bands; guided spectra; heteroepitaxial layers; homoepitaxial layers; luminescence; molecular beam epitaxy; optimum concentration; prism-coupling technique; refractive indexes; relative efficiencies; room temperature; temperature; waveguide behavior; Erbium-doped fiber amplifier; Luminescence; Molecular beam epitaxial growth; Neodymium; Optical fiber amplifiers; Optical fiber communication; Optical materials; Optical waveguides; Temperature measurement; Transistors;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.823471

Filename

823471