Ion-exchanged waveguide lasers in Er~(3+)/Yb~(3+) codoped silicate glass

摘要

We investigated an Er~(3+)/Yb~(3+) codoped silicate glass as a host material for waveguide lasers operating near 1.5 μm. 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 μm. 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 μm 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.