Preparation by PVD of Er/Ce-doped PZG fluoride glass channel waveguide for integrated optical amplifiers at 1.5μm

The fabrication by physical vapor deposition (PVD) of Er/Ce-doped fluoride glass channel waveguides using low cost silica on silicon (SiO2/Si) engraved cleavable substrates was demonstrated. The mean composition of the deposited glass was 38PbF2–19ZnF2–43GaF3 in mol% with Er and Ce concentrations fixed at 1mol%. The channel waveguides with cross-sectional dimensions 3×2μm2 were single-mode at 0.63μm. Propagation losses of less than 0.5dB/cm and loss reduction of 3.3dB/cm were measured at 1.535μm in a 3.2cm long waveguide with an absorbed power of about 3mW at 0.98μm.