Pump and probe experiments have been performed on Er-doped rib-loaded waveguides containing Si nanoclusters grown by reactive magnetron sputtering. An Er~(3+) absorption cross-section of about 5x10~(-21) cm~2 has been found at 1534 nm by insertion losses measurements. Transmission measurements at 1310 nm under optical pumping (488 nm) shows a decreasing of the signal because of confined carrier absorption of the Si nanoclusters. Amplification experiments at 1535 nm evidence two pump power regimes: losses due to confined carrier absorption in the Si nanoclusters at low pump powers and signal amplification at high pump powers. For strong optical pumping, signal enhancement of about 1.2 dB/cm was observed.
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