Self-written active waveguide for integrated optical amplifiers

Abstract

The authors propose a fabrication method of optical amplifying devices, which is based on a technique of light-induced self-written waveguide. The waveguide structure doped with infrared organic dye molecules was self-written by visible laser light irradiation from optical fiber tips to photopolymerized resin, which makes the waveguide self-aligned with input and output fibers. The self-written “active” waveguides with the length of 0.98–1.89mm were fabricated and amplified spontaneous emission at ∼790nm was observed. Furthermore, optical amplification of externally input light was also implied in a tentative examination.