1.7 micron excited state absorption measurement in erbium-doped glasses

We have measured, for the first time, the complete 1.7µm excited state absorption spectrum in erbium doped glasses. The spectrum is obtained by measuring the gain of an erbium doped waveguide in the 1400-1800 nm region. Using the measured spectra, we estimate the 1.5µm uniform upconversion rate by calculating the spectral overlap between the 1.5µm emission and 1.7µm ESA cross sections. The technique is applied to erbium-doped, ion-exchangeable silicate glasses, yielding upconversion constants in the range of 1-10 x 10-18 cm3 /s

Diode-pumped, ion-exchanged Er/Yb waveguide laser at 1.5µm in phosphorus-free silicate glass

We demonstrate the first diode-pumped, planar ErNb waveguide laser. The device was fabricated by thallium-exchange in a phosphorus-free silicate glass. Lasing was achieved with a low threshold of 15 mW, indicating the absence of the severe backtransfer effects previously reported in Er/Yb bulk laser silicate glasses

Diode-pumped, planar lossless splitter at 1.5 microns for optical networks

We demonstrate the first planar lossless splitter at 1.5µm. The ion-exchanged waveguide circuit in Er/Yb codoped silicate glass achieved 1x2 lossless splitting at 1537nm with a 980 nm laser diode pump

Lossless integrated active splitters for optical networks

We discuss the latest results in the European Union RACE II project LIASON to specify and develop "lossless" splitters in integrated optics, combining an erbium-doped planar amplifier and a passive 1xN cascaded y-junction splitter

Ion-exchanged planar lossless splitter for analog CATV distribution systems at 1.5µm

We demonstrate for the first time an ion-exchanged, planar lossless splitter pumped at 980 nm in an analog CATV distribution system at 1.5 µm

Spectral and luminescence properties of neodymium in chalcogenide glasses

Absorption and luminescence of chalcogenide glasses doped with neodymium were measured. Neodymium concentrations ≤ 2 wt% were achieved. Absorption spectra of the glass matrixes, matrixes with dopant (Nd3+) and impurities were measured. Luminescence spectra and the excited state lifetime of Nd3+ were also measured. It was shown that spectral properties of Nd3+ are similar regardless of which neodymium compound was used. However, these spectral properties differ when the base glass is either an oxide or a fluoride. It was found that the quantum yield of Nd3+ in the chalcogenide samples, approaches 100%. The viability of chalcogenide matrixes as laser hosts are discussed

HDWDM upgrade of CATV fibre-coax networks for broadband interactive services

To introduce broadband interactive services in a fibre-coax CATV network with high splitting ratio, a HDWDM upgrading strategy in combination with conventional TDMA (or SCMA) techniques is presented. It features flexible network reconfiguration via wavelength reassignment at the optical network units. Key system item is a novel cost-effective bidirectional Erbium-doped fibre (/planar waveguide) amplifier handling simultaneously a high-grade analogue CATV downstream signal and multiwavelength interactive signals in a single fibre-coax network