Thulium-doped germanate glass composition and device for optical amplification

• Main Authors: MAYOLET ALEXANDRE M, SAMSON BRYCE N, SANDRO JEAN-PHILIPPE DE, DEJNEKA MATTHEW J, WANG JI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.05.2003
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES, OR VITREOUSENAMELS; CHEMISTRY; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION; ELECTRICITY; GLASS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS; METALLURGY; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS,MINERALS OR SLAGS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS

A Tm-doped germanate glass composition comprises GeO2 having a concentration of at least 20 mole percent, Tm2O3 having a concentration of about 0.001 mole percent to about 2 mole percent, and Ga2O3, having a concentration of about 2 mole percent to about 40 mole percent. The composition can further include an alkaline earth metal compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO, BaF2, MgF2, CaF2, SrF2, BaCl2, MgCl2, CaCl2, SrCl2, BaBr2, MgBr2, CaBr2, SrBr2, and combinations thereof, and having a non-zero concentration of less than about 40 mole percent. The composition can further include an alkali metal compound selected from the group consisting of Li2O, Na2O, K2O, Rb2O, Cs2O, Li2F2, Na2F2, K2F2, Rb2F2, Cs2F2, Li2Cl2, Na2Cl2, K2Cl2, Rb2Cl2, Cs2Cl2, Li2Br2, Na2Br2, K2Br2, Rb2Br2, Cs2Br2 and combinations thereof, and having a non-zero concentration of less than about 20 mole percent. The emission bandwidth of the composition in the 1450 nm to 1530 nm range can be varied on the basis of one or more composition ratios. A Tm-doped germanate optical amplifier can amplify optical signals in the S-band region of the electromagnetic spectrum.