Photosensitivity and rare-earth doping in flame-hydrolysis-deposited planar silica waveguides

Abstract

Planar silica waveguide devices offer the possibility for cheap, mass produceable components for optical networks and sensors. So far, such devices have been passive in nature. It is now possible to greatly increase the device functionality by making use of the property of photosensitivity and the effect of rare earth doping in such devices. This paper discusses the results of photosensitivity, and rare-earth doping in silica waveguide devices fabricated using Flame Hydrolysis Deposition. As regards photosensitivity, the paper will consider the basic material effects, grating writing and direct writing of waveguides. Rare earth doping is also possible in such waveguides, and the results of such work are described. Rare earth doping involves solution doping of a porous soot, followed by consolidation to incorporate the rare earth. Issues such as clustering of the rare earth and ion-ion interaction leading to gain quenching are discussed and techniques to reduce deleterious presented. Possibilities for combining photosensitivity and rare earth doping are described which offer the potential for waveguide devices containing passive, photosensitive and active sections on different parts of the same wafer.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.