Abstract

Thin-film optical waveguides were deposited on oxidized silicon substrates by rf sputtering from an Nd-doped phosphate-glass target. Planar waveguides were typically 2 μm thick and had attenuation coefficients of ~2 dB/cm, measured at a wavelength of 633 μm. When 10 μm wide rib waveguides were patterned by chemical etching, the losses were 3.5 dB/cm. Fluorescence lifetimes in the films were 100-150 μs, as compared to 337 μs for the bulk glass target material. Photoluminescence spectra also showed significant differences between the glass films and the target glass. The films had Nd concentrations approximately 30% below the target Nd concentration.

© 1990 Optical Society of America