Glasses for high efficiency erbium (3+) optical fiber lasers, amplifiers, and superluminescent sources
AssigneeGTE Laboratories Incorporated
InventorsLeonard J. Andrews, William J. Miniscalco
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Glass compositions for high efficiency erbium.sup.3+ -doped optical fiber lasers, amplifiers and superluminescent sources are optimized for pumping by high power solid state lasers in the vicinity of 800 nm to provide amplified signals in wavelengths between 1.5 and 1.7 microns, a principal telecommunications window. A number of suitable host glasses for doping with erbium 3+ are identified wherein the excited state absorption/ground state absorption intensity ratio calculated at 800 nm is 1.00 or less.
Claims45
A glass composition for an optical fiber amplifier system, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a fluoride glass containing one of ErF.sub.3 and Er.sub.2 O.sub.3, said optical fiber amplifier system amplifying at a wavelength as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 electronic state of Er.sup.3+.
A glass composition for an optical fiber amplifier, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a glass having a composition consisting essentially of a fluorozirconate glass containing ErF.sub.3 ;
- said optical fiber amplifier amplifying at a wavelength as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 of Er.sup.3+.
A glass composition for an optical fiber amplifier system, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a glass having a composition consisting essentially of a fluorophosphate glass containing phosphorus, oxygen, fluorine, and one of ErF.sub.3 and Er.sub.2 O.sub.3 ;
- said optical fiber amplifier system amplifying as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 of Er.sup.3+.
A glass composition for an optical fiber amplifier system, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a glass having a composition consisting essentially of a phosphate glass containing phosphorous, oxygen and Er.sub.2 O.sub.3, said optical fiber amplifier system amplifying at a wavelength as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 of Er.sup.3+.
A glass composition for an optical fiber laser system, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a fluoride glass containing one of ErF.sub.3 and Er.sub.2 O.sub.3, said optical fiber laser system lasing at a wavelength as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 electronic state of Er.sup.3+.
A glass composition for an optical fiber laser, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a glass having a composition consisting essentially of a fluorozirconate glass containing ErF.sub.3 ;
- said fiber laser lasing at a wavelength as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 of Er.sup.3+.
A glass composition for an optical fiber laser system, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a glass having a composition consisting essentially of a fluorophosphate glass containing phosphorus, oxygen, fluorine, and one of ErF.sub.3 and Er.sub.2 O.sub.3 ;
- said optical fiber laser system lasing as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 of Er.sup.3+.
A glass composition for an optical fiber laser system, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a glass having a composition consisting essentially of a phosphate glass containing phosphorous, oxygen and Er.sub.2 O.sub.3, said optical fiber laser system lasing at a wavelength as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 of Er.sup.3+.
A glass composition in an optical fiber superluminescent source, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a fluoride glass containing one of ErF.sub.3 and Er.sub.2 O.sub.3, said optical fiber superluminescent source emitting at a wavelength as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 of Er.sup.3+.
A glass composition for an optical fiber superluminescent source, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a glass having a composition consisting essentially of a fluorozirconate glass containing ErF.sub.3 ;
- said optical fiber superluminescent source emitting at a wavelength as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 of Er.sup.3+.
A glass composition for an optical fiber superluminescent source, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a glass having a composition consisting essentially of a fluorophosphate glass containing phosphorus, oxygen, fluorine, and one of ErF.sub.3 and Er.sub.2 O.sub.3 ;
- said optical fiber superluminescent source emitting as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 of Er.sup.3+.
A glass composition for an optical fiber superluminescent source, said optical fiber having an active medium comprising a glass having a composition consisting essentially of a phosphate glass containing phosphorous, oxygen and Er.sub.2 O.sub.3, said optical fiber superluminescent source emitting at a wavelength as a result of a transition from the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.13/2 of Er.sup.3+ to the electronic state .sup.4 I.sub.15/2 of Er.sup.3+.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.