The effect of pair-induced energy transfer on the performance ofsilica waveguide amplifiers with high Er3+/Yb3+concentrations

High-concentration Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped silica waveguide amplifiers are numerically analyzed. With optimized rare-earth concentrations the effect of Er³⁺/Er³⁺ ion-pairs can be neglected and each Er³⁺ ion can be assumed to be paired only to the surrounding Yb³⁺ ions. The rate-equations model includes uniform upconversion mechanisms from ⁴I_13/2 and ⁴I_11/2 erbium levels and an Yb³⁺ to Er³⁺ pair-induced energy transfer process. Numerical results demonstrate the possibility of fabricating short- and high-gain integrated optical amplifiers; it is shown that net gain as high as 3 dB/cm can be obtained     

Anomalous dispersion in Er3+ and Yb3+-dopedfibers

In experimental and theoretical study of anomalous dispersion in Er³⁺and Er³⁺-Yb³⁺-doped fibers has been developed. Anomalous time delay caused by both absorption and emission at 1.535 μm has been theoretically calculated and experimentally measured. A pump power dependence of anomalous time delay in rare-earth-doped fibers has been theoretically calculated and experimentally investigated. It has been shown that pump power fluctuations lead to propagation time jitter in Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifiers. The pulse interaction due to refractive index change caused by gain saturation is predicted. It has been shown that for Er ³⁺-doped fibers with SiO₂-GeO₂ core composition, the anomalous dispersion per 1-dB gain is twice that of fibers with SiO₂-Al₂O₃ core, which is caused by gain curve form difference. A scheme of mutual compensation of intrinsic fiber dispersion and anomalous dispersion caused by Er³⁺ in the region 1.532-1.537 μm has been suggested     

Reliable Low-Cost Fabrication of Low-Loss $hbox{Al}_{2}hbox{O} _{3}{:}hbox{Er}^{3+}$ Waveguides With 5.4-dB Optical Gain

A reliable and reproducible deposition process for the fabrication of Al₂O₃ waveguides with losses as low as 0.1 dB/cm has been developed. The thin films are grown at ~ 5 nm/min deposition rate and exhibit excellent thickness uniformity within 1% over 50times50 mm² area and no detectable OH^- incorporation. For applications of the Al₂O₃ films in compact, integrated optical devices, a high-quality channel waveguide fabrication process is utilized. Planar and channel propagation losses as low as 0.1 and 0.2 dB/cm, respectively, are demonstrated. For the development of active integrated optical functions, the implementation of rare-earth-ion doping is investigated by cosputtering of erbium during the Al₂O₃ layer growth. Dopant levels between 0.2-5times10²⁰ cm^-3 are studied. At Er³⁺ concentrations of interest for optical amplification, a lifetime of the ⁴I_13/2 level as long as 7 ms is measured. Gain measurements over 6.4-cm propagation length in a 700-nm-thick Al₂O₃:Er³⁺ channel waveguide result in net optical gain over a 41-nm-wide wavelength range between 1526-1567 nm with a maximum of 5.4 dB at 1533 nm.     

Er3+ –Y3+-Codoped Al 2O3 for High-Temperature Sensing

Optical high-temperature sensing using the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technique of green up-conversion emissions at 523 and 546 nm in Er³⁺-Y³⁺-codoped Al₂O₃ was studied in a wide temperature range of 295 K-973 K. The maximum sensitivity and the temperature resolution derived from the FIR technique are approximately 0.0035 K^-1 and 0.3 K, respectively, which indicated that Er³⁺-Y³⁺-codoped Al₂O₃ plays an important role for applications in the optical high-temperature sensing.     

Modeling of Yb3+-sensitized Er3+-doped silicawaveguide amplifiers

A model for Yb³⁺-sensitized Er³⁺-doped silica waveguide amplifiers is described and numerically investigated in the small-signal regime. The amplified spontaneous emission in the ytterbium-band and the quenching process between excited erbium ions are included in the model. For pump wavelengths between 860 and 995 nm, the amplified spontaneous emission in the ytterbium-band is found to reduce both the gain and the optimum length of the amplifier significantly. The achievable gain of the Yb³⁺-sensitized amplifier is found to be higher than in an Er³⁺-doped silica waveguide without Yb ³⁺ (18 dB versus 9 dB for a pump power of 100 mW). However, it is important to optimize the Yb-concentration according to the choice of pump wavelength     

Modeling and optimization of short Yb3+-sensitized Er3+-doped fiber amplifiers

Short high-concentration Yb³⁺-sensitized Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifiers are modeled and numerically investigated in the small-signal domain. Concentration quenching is included with a term quadratic in the concentration of excited Er³⁺ . We find that for fibers shorter than 1 m, the small-signal gain can be larger for sensitized fibers than for non-sensitized ones (31 dB gain vs. 22 dB at 5 cm). Without concentration quenching (e.g. for long fibers), Yb³⁺-free amplifiers have a higher small-signal gain. The achievable gain of the sensitized amplifier is independent of the pump laser wavelength, if the Yb-concentration is correspondingly optimized. However, restrictions on allowable Yb-concentrations imply that for a specific pump wavelength, a finite range of amplifiers lengths is suitable     

Improved gain characteristics in high-concentrationEr3+/Yb3+ codoped glass waveguide amplifiers

High-concentration Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ codoped glass waveguide amplifiers are analyzed by means of a finite-element-based code. Efficient Yb³⁺ to Er³⁺ energy transfer is shown to be a useful mechanism to reduce performance degradation due to Er³⁺ ion-ion interactions. Numerical calculations based on realistic waveguide parameters demonstrate the possibility of achieving high gain with a short device length     

Thermal and Optical Properties of Yb3+- and Nd3+-Doped Phosphate Glasses Determined by Thermal Lens Technique

In this work, we study the thermal and optical properties of ion-doped phosphates glasses using the thermal lens (TL) technique. Three samples were characterized: Nd³⁺-doped Q-98; Nd³⁺-doped Q-100; and Yb³⁺-doped QX. We report multiwavelength TL measurements for a more accuracy determination of the fluorescence quantum efficiency and temperature coefficient of the optical path length change (ds/dT). In Nd-doped glasses, it was carried out using four discrete excitation wavelengths (between 514 and 872 nm) chosen to match with the ion absorption lines. In Yb-doped glass, the spectrum of heat generated along the Yb³⁺ transition (² F _5/2rarr² F _7/2) was obtained. In addition, parameters as thermal diffusivity and conductivity, thermal loading, etc were achieved. The advantages to obtain fluorescence quantum efficiency using the TL technique, mainly in Yb³⁺ doped materials, which are normally overestimated due to radiation trapping effect, are presented. The accuracy knowledge of these parameters is very important for design of high-power solid-state lasers, since these properties are directly related to the heat generation.     

Er3+-doped Al2O3 thin films byplasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) exhibiting a 55-nmoptical bandwidth

We report the first deposition of Er³⁺-doped aluminum oxide thin-film optical waveguides by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The aluminum and erbium precursors used for the deposition of the thin films were trimethyl-aluminum and Er tri-chelate of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5 dione respectively. The samples show broad, room-temperature photoluminescence at λ=1.533 μm. The Er³⁺ concentration ranged from 0.01-0.2 at%. The full width half maximum (FWHM) of the Er³⁺ emission spectrum is 55 nm, considerably broader than in silica glass. The radiative lifetime has been measured at 50-mW pump power     

Er3+-Yb3+ and Er3+ doped fiberlasers

Single-mode fiber lasers operating at ~1.57 μm are described. Output powers of >2 mW are reported for laser diode pumped operation. Direct comparison is made between fiber lasers using sensitized erbium (Er³⁺ and Yb³⁺) and erbium on its own. The performance of Er³⁺-Yb³⁺ fiber lasers is analyzed in more detail as a function of fiber length. Both CW and Q-switched operations are studied and the results obtained demonstrate that practical sources at 1.5 μm are available from diode pumped Er³⁺ -Yb³⁺ systems     

Concentration-dependent 4I13/2 lifetimes inEr3+-doped fibers and Er3+-doped planar waveguides

We report on the concentration- and pump-dependent lifetimes of the spontaneous emission in Er³⁺-doped fibers and Er³⁺ -doped waveguides. In addition, we measure the concentration dependence of the 550-nm fluorescence due to excited state absorption (ESA)     

Cascaded Two-Wavelength Lasers and Their Effects on C-Band Amplification Performance for Er3+-Doped Fluoride Fiber

In this paper, we report cascaded two-wavelength 853-nm (⁴ S_3/2rarr⁴I_13/2 transition) and 1533-nm (⁴I_13/2rarr⁴I_15/2 transition) lasing from Er³⁺-doped fluoride fiber pumped at 974 nm. The cavity for cascaded two-wavelength lasing is composed of two fiber ends with 4% Fresnel reflection. Its optical-to-optical efficiency is up to 26.6%. Its effects on C-band fiber amplifiers and green upconversion fiber lasers are discussed. A new way to get high efficiency and low noise C-band amplifier is suggested, i.e., a fluoride-based Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifier including 853-nm lasing cavity. Our simulated results show that such a new amplifier can enhance the signal gain greatly and break the limit of the saturated gain intensity for a normal amplifier     

Spectroscopic Properties and Laser Performance of Er3+ and Yb3+ Co-Doped GdAl3(BO3)4 Crystal

An Er:Yb:GdAl₃(BO₃)₄ crystal was grown and room-temperature polarized absorption, emission, and gain spectra were investigated. Fluorescence decay curves of Er³⁺ at 1530 nm and Yb³⁺ at 1040 nm in the crystal were measured. Efficient laser operation of Er:Yb:GdAl₃(BO₃)₄ crystal at 1.5-1.6 mum was realized. Quasi-continuous-wave output powers of 1.8 W with slope efficiency of 19% and 0.78 W with slope efficiency of 14% were achieved in diode-pumped c-cut and c-cut and a-cut crystals, respectively. The output spectrum and polarization of Er:Yb:GdAl₃(BO₃)₄ laser were also investigated.     

Ytterbium-Doped P$_2$O$_5$-TeO $_2$ Glass for Laser Applications

Ytterbium-doped sodium phospho-tellurite glasses are made with different P₂O₅:TeO₂ ratio, and Yb³⁺ concentrations. Physical properties of the new Yb hosts are favorable for laser applications. The glasses show high absorption and emission cross sections and higher lifetime of Yb³⁺:²F_5/2rarr²F_7/2 transition. The emission cross sections are calculated using two different methods and compared. The laser parameters of these Yb³⁺ -doped glasses are better than many reported glasses and crystals making them potential to fabricate high power laser and broadband optical amplifier in the wavelength region around ~1 mum     

Er3+-doped cladding fibres and their taper componentapplications

A biconical taper amplifier utilizing an Er³⁺-doped cladding fiber is discussed. A maximum gain of 0.6 dB in a 2.4-Gb/s optical transmission experiment was obtained with a taper about 40 mm long. This result shows the potential of a new structure for Er³⁺ -doped coupling and amplifying components     

Diode-array pumping of Er3+/Yb3+ Co-dopedfiber lasers and amplifiers

Single-mode double-clad Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped fibers are shown to be suitable for diode array pumping at around 960 nm. A fiber laser with 96-W output power at 1.53 μm and a power amplifier exhibiting a small signal gain of 24 dB and a saturated output power of +17 dBm are reported     

A highly efficient two-stage Er3+-doped optical fiberamplifier employing an optical gate to effectively reduce ASE

Highly efficient amplification of ultrashort optical pulses is demonstrated with a two-stage Er³⁺-doped optical fiber amplifier that includes an optical gate to efficiently reduce amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) generated from the first Er³⁺-doped fiber. A gain of 49 dB, an amplified peak power 0f 105 W, and 1.05 nJ pulse energy are achieved for 2-Mb/s, 10-ps pulses at a total pumping power of 90 mW from 1.48-μm LDs     

Transient gratings in rare-earth-doped phosphosilicate opticalfibres through periodic population inversion

Transient gratings with R>96% at 1526 nm have been observed in Er³⁺/Yb³⁺-doped phosphosilicate optical fibres holographically processed with 193 nm light. These arise primarily from the index change associated with population inversion of the Er³⁺ ions