Improved gain characteristics in Er3+-doped alumina (Al2O3) channel optical waveguide amplifiers for WDM systems

Er(3+)-doped Al(2)O(3) optical waveguides are analyzed both as single amplifiers and as elements of a 16-channel wavelength division multiplexing transmission system; their performance is compared with that from Er(3+)-doped SiO(2) optical waveguide amplifiers. The amplifier model, based on propagation and population-rate equations, includes both uniform and pair-induced up-conversion mechanisms and is solved numerically by combining finite elements and the Runge-Kutta algorithm. The analysis showed that Er(3+)-doped Al(2)O(3) waveguides exhibit much higher signal gains than Er(3+)-doped SiO(2) waveguides and also that the use of Er(3+)-doped Al(2)O(3) waveguides reduces the deleterious gain peaking effect, increasing the maximum transmission distance.