Novel Photonic Glasses for Fiber-Optic Amplifiers

Abstract

Development of novel glass hosts for the fiber-optic amplifiers was introduced with a special attention on the O-band amplifiers operating at 1.31 μm. Upon the addition of alkali halide (especially CsBr) into Ge-Ga-S glasses, the intensity of the 1.31 μm emission from Dy³⁺ (⁶F_(1 1/2)*⁶H_(9/2) →⁶H_(15/2)) increased sharply at the expense of the 1.75 μm emission intensity (⁶H_(1 1/2)→⁶Hi_(15/2)). The lifetimes of the 1.31 μm emission level also increased upto 1580 μs. The nearest neighbors of Eu³⁺ ions, or rare-earth ions in this glass, are composed of halogen ions that are part of well-structured complex such as tetrahedral [GaS_(3/2)Br]¯ subunit and/or Ga₂Br₆. Similar enhancement in the emission properties was also observed in Tm³⁺ and Ho³⁺-doped glasses with the addition of an appropriate amount of CsBr into sulfide glasses.