Structure and optical properties of rare earth doped Y_2O_3 waveguide films derived by sol-gel process

摘要

Pure and rare earth ions doped yttrium oxide (Y_2O_3) waveguide films were prepared by a simple sol-gel process and dip-coating technique. Y_2O_3 were successfully synthesized by hydrolysis of yttrium acetate. The structural evolution of Y_2O_3 films with annealing temperature was investigated by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, waveguide Raman spectroscopy and High-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The propagation loss of Y_2O_3 thin films at 632.8 nm measured by scattering-detection method is approximately 1.5 dB/cm. The fluorescence of E~(3+) and Eu~(3+) doped Y_2O_3 waveguide thin films were studied under the waveguide configuration. The fluorescence intensities evolution with annealing temperature of Y_2O_3:Er~(3+) films has been studied and was explained by the multi-phonon non-radiative processes. Our results show that Y_2O_3 is a good host material for optically active waveguide thin films and sol-gel process is a useful method to derive pure and doped Y_2O_3 waveguide films.