OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE AND 1.5-1.6 MICRON BAND LIGHT AMPLIFIER USING THE SAME

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a high efficiency and low noise wide-band light amplification by further incorporating one or more elements among Se, The, Bi, Sb and Pb into Er- and Ce-contg. oxide glass forming the core part of an optical waveguide. ;SOLUTION: A heavy metal such as Se contained in oxide glass contg. 20-80 mol.% cations is preferable as a wavelength multiple amplification medium because the oxide glass mainly made of those has low phonon energy and a wide wavelength range capable of amplification. The exciting source of a light amplifier may be a 0.98 μm band laser and is preferably a semiconductor laser. An optical multiplexer/demultiplexer element is required in order to gather exciting light and signal light to one optical waveguide. The element preferably comprises fibers and optical parts of a plane waveguide from the viewpoint reducing an insertion loss. When an optical isolator is further built in the element, the size and the insertion loss of the amplifier can be reduced.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1999,JPO