Will Er3+ Become As Useful As Nd3+ In New Solid State Laser Materials?

Due to wavelength matching between emission lines and transmission windows of glass fibers for optical communications, all kind of Er3+ doped matrices are being considered more and more frequently in litterature, namely : semi-conductors, glass fibers, crystals. The review shall present a number of recent breakthroughs of significance to me : electro-luminescence and laser effect of Er3+ in III-V correspounds ; CW laser effect of 3-levels Er3+ transitions in connection with recent availability of powerful GaAlAs laser diodes as optical pumping sources ; CW excited laser effect of Er3+ at 2.7 [μm] in crystals and in fluoride glasses. The purpose of the lecture shall be to discuss in a critical way the respective advantages and limitations of such Er3+ doped materials for future optical communications.