Neodymium-doped silica-based planar waveguide lasers

Fabrication and lasing characteristics of Nd-doped P/sub 2/O/sub 5/-SiO/sub 2/ core planar waveguide lasers are described. CW oscillation at a wavelength of 1052.5 nm was successfully demonstrated in 0.2 wt%-Nd-doped silica-based planar waveguides fabricated on a silicon substrate by flame hydrolysis deposition and reactive ion etching. The lasing threshold and slope efficiency were optimized in an 8-/spl mu/m-wide waveguide, in which a lasing threshold pump power of 26 mW and a slope efficiency of 2.0% were obtained for 805-nm pumping. The measured lasing characteristics agreed with theoretical characteristics calculated by employing finite-element waveguide analysis, indicating that the waveguide structure was well controlled by the developed waveguide fabrication technique. The possible lasing characteristics of the waveguide lasers are discussed based on this agreement. The attenuation and emission properties of the waveguides are also described.< >