Reactively Co - Sputtered Al 2 O 3 : Er 3 + for Active Photonic Devices

Reactive co-sputtering has been applied as a low-cost method for deposition of Al2O3:Er layers. Channel waveguide fabrication has been optimized and results in waveguides with low background losses (0.21 dB/cm), demonstrating the feasibility of realizing active photonic devices. A net optical gain of 0.84 dB/cm for a 1533-nm signal has been obtained in a 700-nm-thick Er-doped Al2O3 waveguide pumped at 980 nm, which is the highest gain demonstrated thus far in this material.