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

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 1 mol%. The channel waveguides with cross-sectional dimensions 3 × 2 μm2 were single-mode at 0.63 μm. Propagation losses of less than 0.5 dB/cm and loss reduction of 3.3 dB/cm were measured at 1.535 μm in a 3.2 cm long waveguide with an absorbed power of about 3 mW at 0.98 μm.