THE APPLICATION OF GA-LA-S-BASED GLASS FOR OPTICAL AMPLIFICATION AT 1.3 MU-M

The optical properties of praseodymium-doped low-phonon-energy glasses have recently attracted considerable attention for their potential application as a 1.3 mu m Pr+3-doped optical fibre amplifier. Sulphide glasses based on Ga2S3 and La2S3 are amongst the lowest-phonon-energy glasses which are suitable for this application, with quantum efficiencies exceeding 50% currently measured on. bulk samples in the laboratory. The purpose of this paper is to describe the thermal, optical and spectroscopic properties of Pr+3-doped sulphide-based glasses, present the results of amplifier modelling using the measured cross-sections, and report the progress to date in achievement of a Pr+3-doped sulphide-based fibre.