Abstract

The excellent properties of Er-doped fiber amplifiers and lasers around λ = 1.55 µm stimulated the interest in Er-doped integrated optical waveguides. In particular, Er-doped integrated optical amplifiers and lasers in LiNbO₃ will significantly increase the potential of this material. If a local (photolithographically defined) doping is possible, optical amplifiers, lasers, modulators and other active and passive devices can be monolithically integrated on the same chip. Furthermore, very attractive device concepts can be realized with Er-doped waveguides taking advantage of the excellent electrooptical (mode-locked laser) and acoustooptical (tunable laser) properties of LiNbO₃.

© 1992 Optical Society of America