EP0474447A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method of producing an apparatus comprising an optical gain device
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1991-08-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-08-30
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is apparatus comprising an optically pumped optical gain device that comprises a rare earth (RE)-doped planar waveguide (12) with non-uniform dopant distribution in the core of the waveguide. The RE ions are advantageously distributed such that the ions are concentrated in a core region in which the mode intensity of both signal radiation and pump radiation is relatively high. In preferred embodiments of a single mode planar waveguide (12) according to the invention the RE ions are substantially concentrated in the central core region (122). A method of making the disclosed apparatus is also disclosed. The method involves implantation of RE ions into the core region.
Inventors
- 👤 Greg. E. Blonder
- 👤 Dale C. Jacobson
- 👤 Rodney C. Kistler
- 👤 John M. Poate
- 👤 Albert Polman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 23:14
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/10; G02B6/12; G02B6/122; G02B6/1228; G02B6/24; G02B6/26; G02B6/262; H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/05; H01S3/06; H01S3/063; G02B2006/12035; G02B2006/12038; G02B2006/12061; G02B2006/12166; G02B2006/12188; H01S3/14; H01S3/16; H01S3/1601; H01S3/1603; H01S3/1608
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
An article comprising an optical gain device that comprises optical waveguide means comprising a core and a cladding and being adapted for guiding signal radiation of wavelength λ s , and that further comprises means adapted for coupling pump radiation of wavelength λ p <λ s into said optical waveguide means; the optical waveguide means comprising core material containing at least one species of rare earth ions capable of luminescence in response to the pump radiation; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT a) the waveguide means are planar waveguide means disposed on a substrate; and b) associated with the planar waveguide means is a core cross section and a core surface that is not adjacent to the substrate, and the rare earth ions are distributed in the planar waveguide means such that, in a given cross section, the maximum concentration of rare earth ions in a first region of the cross section is at least twice as high as the maximum concentration of the rare earth ions in a second region of the cross section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
The article of claim 1, wherein at least a part of the second region is disposed between the first region and a part of the core surface that is not adjacent to the substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
Article of claim 2, wherein the second region of the given cross section substantially surrounds the first region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
Article of claim 1, wherein the rare earth ions comprise Er ions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
Article of claim 1, wherein 1≲λ s ≦3 µm and 0.4≲λ p <3 µm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
104 words
The article of claim 2, wherein the substrate is a Si body having a major surface, with at least a part of the major surface covered by a SiO₂ layer, wherein the core of the waveguide means consists of silica-based glass and is disposed on said SiO₂ layer, wherein the part of the core surface that is not adjacent to the substrate is contacted by a second silica-based glass of a composition such that the refractive index of the core glass is higher than the refractive index of the second silica based glass, and wherein the rare earth ions consist essentially of Er ions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The article of claim 1, wherein the gain device is an optical amplifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The article of claim 7, wherein in or on the substrate there is at least one other optical or electro-optical device that is in optical communication-relationship with the optical amplifier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The article of claim 8, wherein the at least one other device is a photodetector disposed such that it receives radiation that has propagated through the optical amplifier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The article of claim 8, wherein the at least one other device is a laser adapted for emitting the pump radiation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
The article of claim 1, further comprising an optical fiber signal-transmissively coupled to the planar optical waveguide means, associated with each of the fiber and the planar waveguide means being a core effective refractive index, wherein the core effective refractive index of the fiber differs from that of the planar waveguide means by at most 5%.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
245 words
Method of making an article that comprises an optical gain device that comprises optical waveguide means comprising a core and a cladding and being adapted for guiding signal radiation of wavelength λ s , and that fiber comprises means for coupling pump radiation of wavelength λ p <λ s into the optical waveguide means, CHARACTERISED IN THAT the method comprises a) providing a substrate having a major surface, with a layer comprising core material on the major surface; b) exposing at least a portion of said layer to rare earth ions such that at least a major portion of said ions is caused to be implanted into said core material; c) patterning, either before or after step b), said layer such that the core of said optical waveguide means results; associated with the core is a cross section and a core surface that is not adjacent to the substrate surface; and wherein the method is practiced such that the rare earth ions are distributed in the core such that, in a given cross section of the core, the maximum concentration of rare earth ions in a first region is at least twice as high as the maximum concentration of the rare earth ions in a second region of the cross section, with at least a part of the second region disposed between the first region and a part of the core surface that is not adjacent to the substrate surface; and d) depositing cladding material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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