Z-propagating waveguide laser and amplifier device in rare-earth- doped LiNbO.sub.3

摘要

A rare-earth-doped waveguide device which exhibits stable cw laser and amplifier operation for near-infrared optical pumping in a room- temperature environment is provided. The waveguide device is comprised of an x- or y-cut LiNbO.sub.3 substrate on which metal-diffused channel optical waveguides are formed parallel to, or nearly parallel to, the crystallographic z-axis. The LiNbO.sub.3 substrate is rare-earth doped either by thermal diffusion of single or multiple rare-earth ions. Alternatively, the rare-earth doped substrate is doped with rare-earth ions during the growth of the crystal from which the substrate was prepared with additional thermal diffusion of rare-earth dopants as required. This orientation of the waveguide channel substantially parallel to the crystallographic z-axis permits reliable laser and amplifier action without the destabilizing effects of photorefractive optical damage.