4.25dB gain in a hybrid silicate/phosphate glasses optical amplifier made by wafer bonding and ion-exchange techniques

In this letter, we present the realization of a hybrid optical amplifier composed of an erbium/ytterbium (Er3+∕Yb3+) co-doped phosphate glass wafer bonded on a silicate glass substrate. Indeed, a thin guiding phophate glass layer has been reported on an ion-exchanged channel passive waveguide by the wafer bonding technique creating a hybrid guiding structure. A 4.25dB gain for 140mW launched pump has been demonstrated with a 1.16-cm-long hybrid amplifier.