Modeling and characterization of erbium: ytterbium glass waveguide lasers

Erbium-ytterbium (Er3+-Yb3+) codoped glass is an attractive system for short, efficient lasers and amplifiers operating in the long-haul telecommunications range. The pump absorption near 980 is increased, and efficient energy transfer between the Yb3+ and Er3 ions enables the operation of compact laser devices with low erbium concentrations. This article presents some simple methods that can be used to model the Er3+-Yb3+ codoped glass system and predict laser performance. Experimental results for fabricated waveguide laser devices are discussed.