Abstract

Si₃N₄ platforms have promising features including low waveguide loss (<0.1 dB/cm), wide transparency window (0.4–2.35 μm), and compatibility with CMOS technology [1]. Low-cost and high-performance integration technologies are instrumental for providing active functionalities to the Si₃N₄ platform. Lasers on Si₃N₄ platforms have been realized using hybrid integration of InP [1] and monolithic integration of rare-earthion doped Al₂O₃ materials [2]. To independently guide the modes in monolithically integrated Al₂O₃ and Si₃N₄ waveguides, a double-layer platform has been studied in our previous work [3]. This enables to achieve high mode confinement and field intensity in the Al₂O₃ waveguide core, which is beneficial for reducing pump power threshold to obtain net gain of amplifiers. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate the Al₂O₃:Er³⁺-Si₃N₄ optical amplifiers based on the double-layer monolithic integration. On-chip net gain of ~10 dB is obtained for a 5.9 cm long fully integrated amplifier at the signal wavelength of 1532 nm under pumping at 976.2 nm.

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