Ion-exchanged waveguide lasers in Er3+/Yb3+ codoped silicate glass.
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.
Peters
P M
PM
Optoelectronics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80303, USA. ppeters@boulder.nist.gov
Funk
D S
DS
Peskin
A P
AP
Veasey
D L
DL
Sanford
N A
NA
Houde-Walter
S N
SN
Hayden
J S
JS