An optical waveguide amplifier, which can solve the problem of optical attenuation in optical network transmission, is the key technology to solve optical chip integration and optical interconnection. Here, to the best of our knowledge, we propose a novel polymer/silica hybrid waveguide amplifier at 532 nm for the first time. The research is of great significance to the improvement of short distance communication and visible light communication system. The waveguide amplifier was designed as an embedded structure based on
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nanocrystals, which were synthesized by high-temperature thermal decomposition. When the input signal power was 0.1 mW, and the pump power was 300 mW, a relative gain of 4.3 dB was obtained on an 8 mm waveguide. This result is of great research significance to break the distance limit and make all-optical transmission a reality.
Optical waveguide amplifiers are essential to improve the performance
of integrated communication systems. Previous research has mainly
focused on C- and L-bands amplification, but there are few reports on
S-band waveguide amplifiers. Here, we introduce a polymer-based
waveguide amplifier that uses a
NaYF4:Yb3+,Tm3+ nanoparticles–PMMA
nanocomposite as gain medium, which can provide loss compensation in
the S-band. To obtain the strongest emission luminescence at 1480 nm,
we optimized the doping concentration of Yb3+ and
Tm3+ to 20% and 1%, respectively. By copolymerizing the
nanoparticles and methyl methacrylate monomers, the nanocomposite was
synthesized and used as the gain medium to fabricate S-band waveguide
amplifiers. A relative gain of 5.6 dB/cm was observed at 1480 nm under
the excitation of a 980-nm pump laser. To the best of our knowledge,
this is the first time that S-band amplification has been observed in
a polymer-based waveguide amplifier. This result is expected to extend
the waveband of polymer-based waveguide amplifiers to the S-band.
A polymer waveguide thermo-optical switch with loss compensation based on NaYF 4 : 18% Yb 3+ , 2% Er 3+ nanocrystals, fabricated by traditional semiconductor processes, has been investigated. NaYF 4 : 18% Yb 3+ , 2% Er 3+ nanocrystals were prepared by a pyrolysis method. The morphology and luminescent properties of the nanocrystals were characterized. The nanocrystals were doped into SU-8 as the core material of an optical waveguide amplifier. The size of the device was optimized for its optical and thermal fields as well as its transmission characteristics. The device was fabricated on a silica substrate by spin coating, photolithography, and wet etching. The insertion loss of the switch device is ∼ 15 dB. The rise and fall times of the device are 240 µs and 380 µs, respectively, as measured by application of a 304 Hz square wave voltage. The extinction ratio of the device is about 14 dB at an electrode-driving power of 7 mW. When the pump light power is 230 mW and the signal light power is 0.1 mW, the loss compensation of the device is 3.8 dB at a wavelength of 1530 nm. Optical devices with loss compensation have important research significance.
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