Title :
Optimization of an Er-doped silica glass optical waveguide amplifier
Author :
Snoeks, Edwin ; Van Den Hoven, Gerlas N. ; Polman, Albert
Author_Institution :
Philips Lab., Briarcliff Manor, NY, USA
fDate :
9/1/1996 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The optical gain performance of a highly Er-doped waveguide amplifier is affected by concentration quenching and cooperative upconversion effects. Based on materials parameters, which were previously determined for Er-doped sodalime-silicate glass, we calculate how the gain performance can be improved by reducing these limiting processes. For amplifiers with an Er concentration exceeding 0.1 at.%, the Er dc-excitation rate is dominated by cooperative upconversion rather than radiative decay or nonradiative decay due to coupling to defects. The effect of lowering the waveguide loss and reducing the optical mode diameter is also demonstrated
Keywords :
erbium; noncrystalline defects; optical couplers; optical glass; optical losses; optical saturable absorption; optimisation; solid lasers; waveguide lasers; Er concentration; Er dc-excitation rate; Er-doped silica glass optical waveguide amplifier optimisation; Er-doped sodalime-silicate glass; concentration quenching; cooperative upconversion; cooperative upconversion effects; gain performance; highly Er-doped waveguide amplifier; limiting processes; materials parameters; nonradiative decay; optical gain performance; optical mode diameter; radiative decay; waveguide loss; Electromagnetic coupling; Erbium; Glass; Optical amplifiers; Optical materials; Optical waveguides; Performance gain; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Silicon compounds; Stimulated emission;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
