Investigation of a new waveguide configuration for laser and amplifier applications using rare-earth-doped aluminum phosphate films

A new structure for integrated optics lasers and amplifiers in glass by sol-gel and ion exchange techniques is proposed. Due to unavailability of commercial rare-earth-doped glasses optimized for both lasing and ion exchange, we cover ion-exchanged glass waveguides by a rare-earth-doped aluminum phosphate layer, made by sol-gel method. As an example, an Er- doped waveguide amplifier is optimized theoretically.