High-gain polymer optical waveguide amplifiers based on core-shell NaYF4/NaLuF4: Yb3+, Er3+ NPs-PMMA covalent-linking nanocomposites.

Meiling Zhang,Eric Cassan,Daming Zhang,Dan Zhao,Fei Wang,Weiwei Zhang,Xibin Wang,Yunji Yi,Chunyang Qu

doi:10.1038/srep36729

Abstract

Waveguide amplifiers have always been significant key components for optical communication. Unfortunately, the low concentration of rare earth ions doped in the host material and the inadequate optimization of the waveguide structure have been the common bottleneck limitations. Here, a novel material, NaYF4/NaLuF4: 20% Yb3+, 2% Er3+ nanoparticle-Polymeric Methyl Methacrylate covalent-linking nanocomposite, was synthesized. The concentrations of Er3+ and Yb3+ doping increased an order of magnitude. Under a 980 nm laser excitation, highly efficient emission at 1.53 μm was obtained. The characteristic parameters of the single mode waveguide were carefully designed and optimized by using a finite difference method. A formulized iteration method is presented for solving the rate equations and the propagation equations of the EYCDWA, and both the steady state behavior and the gain were numerically simulated. The optimal Er3+ and Yb3+ concentrations are 2.8 × 1026 m−3 and 2.8 × 1027 m−3, and the optimal waveguide length is 1.3 cm. Both theoretical and experimental results indicated that, for an input signal power of 0.1 mW and a pump power of 400 mW, a net gain of 15.1 dB at 1530 nm is demonstrated. This result is the highest gain ever reported in polymer-based waveguide amplifiers doped with inorganic Er3+-Yb3+ codoped nanocrystals.

Highlights

An attractive high-gain medium material for optical amplification[15,16,17,18]
We report a new strategy to improve the dispersibility of nanoparticles (NPs) in a polymer matrix, in which the core-shell NaYF4/NaLuF4: Yb3+, Er3+ NPs were copolymerized with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and NPs-Polymeric Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) covalent-linking nanocomposites were synthesized
The surface of NPs was modified by the unsaturated functional groups. These NaYF4/NaLuF4: Er, Yb NPs were copolymerized with methyl methacrylate (MMA), and the NPs-PMMA covalent-linking nanocomposites were synthesized

Summary

Introduction

An attractive high-gain medium material for optical amplification[15,16,17,18]. With the development of optical communication, optical waveguide amplifiers with high gain are required urgently. In 2015, Tianjiao Wang et al synthesized NaYF4:Er3+, Yb3+ NPs-PMMA covalent-linking nanocomposites with core only using a high temperature thermal decomposition approach, and fabricated the waveguide amplifiers. A relative optical gain of 7.6 dB was obtained at 1540 nm in a 15 mm-long waveguide[21] In this case, the doping mass concentration of NPs in the polymer matrix could be up to 1%, which is larger than previously published results. For an input signal power of 0.1 mW and a pump power of 400 mW, a net gain of 15.1 dB at 1530 nm was demonstrated for waveguide lengths of 1.3 cm; the concentration of Er3+ was 2.8 × 1026 m−3 and the concentration of Yb3+ was 2.8 × 1027 m−3 This net gain result is the highest ever reported in polymer-based EYCDWAs containing erbium doped inorganic nanocrystals

Methods

Results

Conclusion