Er3+/Yb3+-activated silica-hafnia planar waveguides for photonics fabricated by rf-sputtering

SiO2-4.2HfO2 planar waveguide activated by 0.2 mol% Er and 0.2 mol% Yb was fabricated by multi-target rf-sputtering technique. The optical parameters were measured by an m-line apparatus operating at 543.5, 632.8, 1319 and 1542 nm. The waveguide compositions were investigated by energy dispersive spectroscopy. The waveguide exhibits a single propagation mode at 1.3 and 1.5 μm with an attenuation coefficient of 0.2 dB/cm at 1.5 μm. The emission of 4I13/2 →4I15/2 transition of Er3+ ion, with a 42 nm bandwidth was observed upon TE0 mode excitation at 980 and 514.5 nm. Photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy was used to obtain information about the effective excitation efficiency of Er3+ ions by co-doping with Yb3+ ions. Channel waveguide in rib configuration were fabricated by wet etching process in the active film. Crown Copyright © 2009. Author Keywords: Infrared properties; Luminescence; Optical spectroscopy; Planar waveguides; Rare-earth in glasses; Scanning electron microscopy; Silicates; Sputtering Index Keywords: Attenuation coefficient; Channel waveguide; Co-doping; Excitation efficiency; Infrared properties; Mode excitation; Multitarget; Optical parameter; Optical spectroscopy; Photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy; Propagation mode; Rare-earth in glasses; Rf-sputtering; Silica-hafnia; Wet-etching process; Emission spectroscopy; Erbium; Fabrication; Glass; Hafnium compounds; Infrared spectroscopy; Ions; Luminescence; Optical microscopy; Optical waveguides; Planar waveguides; Scanning; Scanning electron microscopy; Silica; Silicates; Ytterbium; Integrated optoelectronics

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