Amplified spontaneous emission in active channel waveguides produced by electron-beam lithography in LiF crystals

In this letter we report the observation of amplified spontaneous emission of the red light from LiF:F-2 centers in active channel waveguides realized by electron-beam lithography in lithium fluoride crystals. Low pumping power densities have been used in quasi-continuous-wave regime at room temperature; the appreciable values of the gain coefficients, 4.67 cm(-1) with an exciting power density of 0.31 W/cm(2) at 458 nm, make this material a good candidate for the realization of active integrated optical devices. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.