Rare-earth-ion-doped Al2O3 waveguides for active integrated optical devices

Jonathan D. B. Bradley; Feridun Ay; Tom Blauwendraat; Kerstin Wörhoff; Markus Pollnau

doi:10.1117/12.751890

9 August 2007 Rare-earth-ion-doped Al₂O₃ waveguides for active integrated optical devices

Jonathan D. B. Bradley, Feridun Ay, Tom Blauwendraat, Kerstin Wörhoff, Markus Pollnau

Proceedings Volume 6731, International Conference on Lasers, Applications, and Technologies 2007: Advanced Lasers and Systems; 67310A (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.751890
Event: International Conference on Lasers, Applications, and Technologies '07, 2007, Minsk, Belarus

Abstract

Reactively co-sputtered amorphous Al₂O₃ waveguide layers with low propagation losses have been deposited. In order to define channel waveguides in such Al₂O₃ films, the etching behaviour of Al₂O₃ has been investigated using an inductively coupled reactive ion etch system. The etch rate of Al₂O₃ and possible mask materials was studied by applying various common process gases and combinations of these gases, including CF₄/O₂, BCl₃, BCl₃/HBr and Cl₂. Based on a comparison of the etch rates and patterning feasibility of the different mask materials, a BCl₃/HBr plasma and and standard resist mask were used to fabricate channel waveguide structures. The etched structures exhibit straight sidewalls with minimal roughness and etch depths of up to 530 nm, sufficient for defining waveguides with strong optical confinement and low bending losses. Low additional propagation losses were measured in single-mode Al₂O₃ ridge waveguides defined using the developed etch process. In initial investigations, Al₂O₃:Er layers fabricated using the same deposition method applied for the undoped layers show typical emission cross-sections, low green upconversion luminescence and lifetimes up to 7 ms.

Citation Download Citation

Jonathan D. B. Bradley, Feridun Ay, Tom Blauwendraat, Kerstin Wörhoff, and Markus Pollnau "Rare-earth-ion-doped Al₂O₃ waveguides for active integrated optical devices", Proc. SPIE 6731, International Conference on Lasers, Applications, and Technologies 2007: Advanced Lasers and Systems, 67310A (9 August 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.751890

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KEYWORDS

Etching

Aluminum

Waveguides

Channel waveguides

Gases

Erbium

Reactive ion etching

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