Preparation and Physical Properties of Erbium-Doped Polymer Patterns by Micromolding in Capillaries for Optical Waveguide Amplifiers

Abstract

Er3+-doped precursor solutions were first prepared using 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoropentyl acrylate as a fluoromonomer, tetrahydrofurfuryl acrylate as a solubility enhancer, Ebecryl 220 as a cross-linking agent, Darocur 4265 as a radical photoinitiator and erbium(III) trifluoromethane sulfonate as an erbium source with various weight ratios. The crosslinked, patterned and erbium-doped fluoropolymer films were fabricated by micromolding in capillaries on glass substrates for planar optical amplifier applications. The fluoropolymer films acting as host materials for the Er3+ ions had excellent transmission properties (more than 90% over the visible and near-infrared regions), high thermal decomposition temperatures (greater than 300°C) and the ability to support high erbium complex concentrations (up to 10 wt% based on the polymer matrix). These results are sufficient for the films to be used in planar optical amplifier applications.