Integrated optics Er:Yb amplifier with potassium ion-exchanged glass waveguides

Potassium ion exchange is used to make channel waveguides in an erbium-ytterbium co-doped phosphate glass. Gain characteristics of the fabricated waveguides are studied. The effect of pump and signal wavelengths, and the waveguide length on the gain in the waveguides are investigated. At the signal wavelength of 1.530 micrometers , 19.5 dB internal gain is achieved in a 6 mm long waveguide; the measured noise factor is 4 dB.