LASER-DIODE PUMPING OF WAVE-GUIDE LASER BASED ON ND-DOPED SILICA PLANAR LIGHTWAVE CIRCUIT

Laser-diode (LD) pumping of Nd-doped silica waveguide lasers is reported. Lasers with core widths from 6 to 30-mu-m were fabricated on Si substrates by flame hydrolysis deposition and reactive ion etching techniques. Based on an investigation of the lasing threshold dependence on core width, a minimum lasing threshold was obtained in a waveguide laser with an 8-mu-m-wide core. A threshold of 25 mW and a slope efficiency of 1.2% for LD pumping at 805 nm were obtained in the waveguide laser.