Arrays of distributed-Bragg-reflector waveguide lasers at 1536 nm in Yb/Er codoped phosphate glass

We have demonstrated an array of monolithic, single-frequency-distributed-Bragg-reflector (DBR), waveguide lasers operating near 1536 nm wavelengths. The lasers were fabricated by forming waveguides in Yb/Er-codoped phosphate glass by ion exchange. The slope efficiency for each laser as a function of launched pump power is 26% and the thresholds occur at 50 mW of launched pump power. An output power of 80 mW was achieved with 350 mW of coupled pump power. Each laser exhibits stable operation on a single longitudinal mode and all have linewidths less than 500 kHz. A comb of waveguides with varying effective indices allows the selection of wavelength using a single-period grating. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)01606-X].