Femtosecond laser micromachining of tellurite thin film waveguides

Er:Yb:Ce doped phosphate modified tellurite thin films were produced by pulsed laser deposition. Femtosecond laser micromachining technique was used to pattern ridge waveguides on to the film surface. A series of experiments were carried out to optimize the thin film formation and also to pattern waveguides on to its surface with varying environmental and fluence conditions. The optimum waveguide was characterized in its passive and active regimes to ensure its operation at the C+L telecommunication band. The waveguides will be primarily used to amplification purposes for signal wavelengths ranging from 1520 nm - 1620 nm.