Influencing Factors on Erbium-Doped Polymer Waveguide Amplifier

Abstract

We used fundamental rate equations and power propagation equations to simulate the gain factors of Er(3+)-doped polymer excited at 980 nm. The results of the calculations indicate close relationships between the gain and Er3+ concentration, pump and signal absorption cross-sections, waveguide dimension, and metastable state lifetime of the states 4/13/2. When the signal absorption cross section doubles, the gain will increase threefold. The radiative lifetime of Er3+ in inorganic materials is much longer (milliseconds) than in the polymer (microseconds). If the lifetime of the states 4/13/2 decreases one level, there must be a corresponding increase in pump power so that the gain remains at the same level.