Planar optical waveguide fabricated in erbium doped glasses became attractive due to their light emission at 1.5 mm, thereby shown like candidates for optical amplifiers or waveguide lasers. In this study we focused on the influence of chemical compositions of specially formulated Er³⁺ and Er³⁺/Yb³⁺-doped silicate glasses on the ion-exchange process and optical properties of the mm fabricated waveguides.

Optical waveguides were fabricated by a routine K⁺ « Na⁺ ion exchange in a set of the glasses that had various contents of the RE ions and different optical basicity. Properties of the fabricated planar waveguides were studied by means of Dark Mode Spectroscopy at 637 nm while the chemical composition of the waveguides was determined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDAX). The intensities of the 1.5 mm emissions before and after the ion exchange were compared as well as the RE content after the ion exchange that was measured by the ion beam methods. The results are discussed from a point of view of the content of the active ions, glass permeability (i.e. glass covalence and glass basicity) for the exchanged ions and optical properties of fabricated waveguides. Diffusion that proceeds during the ion exchange will be characterized by diffusion coefficients and concentration depth profiles of the involved ions important for the resultant properties. It was found that presence of the RE could substantially lower the permeability of the glass matrix for the migrating ions.

Acknowledgement

• Legal notice:
  

  Copyright (c) Pielaszek Research, all rights reserved.
  The above materials, including auxiliary resources, are subject to Publisher's copyright and the Author(s) intellectual rights. Without limiting Author(s) rights under respective Copyright Transfer Agreement, no part of the above documents may be reproduced without the express written permission of Pielaszek Research, the Publisher. Express permission from the Author(s) is required to use the above materials for academic purposes, such as lectures or scientific presentations.
  In every case, proper references including Author(s) name(s) and URL of this webpage: https://science24.com/paper/11291 must be provided.

1. Chemical Composition Effects On An Ion Exchange Process In Glass
2. Effect of silicate glass composition on properties of ion-exchanged optical waveguides