Erbium-doped planar optical device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical device, comprising:
- a) an elongate, active glass core which extends along a longitudinal axis and comprises silicon, oxygen, and erbium, the erbium being at least partially in the form of Er3+ ions, the active core having a refractive index;
b) a glass cladding comprising at least one layer which at least partially surrounds the active core and has a refractive index which is smaller than the core refractive index;
c) means for coupling signal radiation, having a signal wavelength, into the active core and means for coupling the signal radiation out of the active core; and
d) means for coupling pump radiation into the active core such that pump radiation of an appropriate wavelength will excite at least some of the Er3+ ions to a lasing level, leading to amplification of the signal radiation by stimulated emission,CHARACTERIZED IN THATe) the device further comprises a substrate having a substantially planar principal surface;
f) the active core is a body that overlies a portion of the principal surface;
g) the cladding comprises a lower cladding layer disposed between the active core and the principal surface, and an upper cladding layer which overlies and partially surrounds the active core;
h) the active core further comprises an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal in an effective quantity to prevent clustering of erbium atoms;
i) the active core has an erbium-to-silicon atomic ratio of at least about 0.01 and an absolute erbium concentration of at least about 1.4×
1020 atoms per cubic centimeter; and
j) the lasing level has a radiative lifetime of at least about 7 ms.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An active optical device comprises a glass, waveguiding structure disposed on a substantially planar principal surface of a substrate. The structure includes a silica-based, erbium-doped active core. The active core has an erbium-to-silicon atomic ratio of at least about 0.01, an absolute erbium concentration of at least about 1.4×1020 atoms per cubic centimeter, and a radiative lifetime of the erbium lasing level of at least about 7 milliseconds. Also disclosed is a method for forming an active optical device, including the step of depositing an erbium-doped active core by sputtering.
119 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. An optical device, comprising:
-
a) an elongate, active glass core which extends along a longitudinal axis and comprises silicon, oxygen, and erbium, the erbium being at least partially in the form of Er3+ ions, the active core having a refractive index; b) a glass cladding comprising at least one layer which at least partially surrounds the active core and has a refractive index which is smaller than the core refractive index; c) means for coupling signal radiation, having a signal wavelength, into the active core and means for coupling the signal radiation out of the active core; and d) means for coupling pump radiation into the active core such that pump radiation of an appropriate wavelength will excite at least some of the Er3+ ions to a lasing level, leading to amplification of the signal radiation by stimulated emission, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT e) the device further comprises a substrate having a substantially planar principal surface; f) the active core is a body that overlies a portion of the principal surface; g) the cladding comprises a lower cladding layer disposed between the active core and the principal surface, and an upper cladding layer which overlies and partially surrounds the active core; h) the active core further comprises an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal in an effective quantity to prevent clustering of erbium atoms; i) the active core has an erbium-to-silicon atomic ratio of at least about 0.01 and an absolute erbium concentration of at least about 1.4×
1020 atoms per cubic centimeter; andj) the lasing level has a radiative lifetime of at least about 7 ms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
Specification