title: Ion-exchanged waveguide lasers in Er3+/Yb3+ codoped silicate glass.
abstract: We investigated an Er(3+)/Yb(3+) codoped silicate glass as a host material for waveguide lasers operating near 1.5 microm. Spectroscopic properties of the glass are reported. Waveguide lasers were fabricated by K(+)-ion exchange from a nitrate melt. The waveguides support a single transverse mode at 1.5 microm. An investigation of the laser performance as a function of the Yb:Er ratio was performed, indicating an optimal ratio of approximately 5:1. Slope efficiencies of as great as 6.5% and output powers as high as 19.6 mW at 1.54 microm were realized. The experimental results are compared with a waveguide laser model that is used to extract the Er(3+) upconversion coefficients and the Yb(3+)-Er(3+) cross-relaxation coefficients. The results indicate the possibility of obtaining high-performance waveguide lasers from a durable silicate host glass.
authors.affiliation: Optoelectronics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA. ppeters@boulder.nist.gov
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Peskin
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Veasey
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sanford
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Houde-Walter
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hayden