Yb/Er Integrated optics amplifiers on phosphate glass in single and double pass configurations.

Abstract

In the past few years, fiber optics amplifiers have become ubiquitous in the new 1550 nm telecom systems. Integrated optics could lower cost and size of amplifiers, but it demands suitable substrates to host efficient and short amplifying waveguides. So far, devices showing net gain at 1550 nm were based on silicate glasses1,2. Rare-earth doped phosphate glasses offer better prospects, because they retain good spectroscopic properties at higher dopant concentrations.