Optical gain at 1535 nm in LaF3:Er,Yb nanoparticle-doped organic-inorganic hybrid material waveguide

LaF3 : Er, Yb nanoparticle-doped organic-inorganic hybrid material waveguides were demonstrated using reactive ion etching technology. The absorption and photoluminescence spectra were observed on a 140 mu m thick film of the nanoparticle- doped hybrid material. Under excitation at 976 nm, the fluorescence was obtained at 1535 nm, and its full width at half maximum was about 83 nm. A relative optical gain of about 5 dB was measured at 1535 nm in a 22-mm-long waveguide. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.