Amplified spontaneous emission and optical gain measurements from pyrromethene 567--doped polymer waveguides and quasi-waveguides.
Amplified spontaneous emission from planar waveguides and quasi-waveguides based on Pyrromethene 567-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) thin films deposited onto quartz and glass substrates is investigated. Films with different thickness were prepared and pumped optically at 532 nm with pulses of up to 8 MW/cm(2). Pump thresholds for the onset of ASE emission, optical gains and losses were assessed. Net gain coefficients were estimated by fitting the data provided by variable stripe length measurements with a theoretical expression which takes into account saturation. In this way, net gain coefficients of up to 56 +/- 9 cm(-1) at a pump intensity of 5.3 MW/cm(2) for quasi-waveguides and up to 20.6 +/- 2.7 cm(-1) at a pump intensity of 3.4 MW/cm2 for waveguides, were obtained. Loss coefficients in the waveguides were estimated to be 3.8 +/- 0.4 cm-1 and 6.1 +/- 1.3 cm(-1) for 15 microm and 5 microm thick films, respectively. The results obtained seem to indicate a stronger self-mode-restriction capability in the quasiwaveguides than in conventional total internal-reflection waveguides.
Instituto de Química Física Rocasolano, CSIC, Serrano 119, 28006 Madrid, Spain. acostela@iqfr.csic.es
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Costela
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García
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Cerdán
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García-Moreno
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Sastre
D000388:Air; D004867:Equipment Design; D007834:Lasers; D015233:Models, Statistical; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry; D011162:Porphobilinogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D011791:Quartz; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods
D011108:Polymers; C483535:pyrromethene 567; D011791:Quartz; D011162:Porphobilinogen; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate