| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To eliminate necessity of removing an exciting light remaining in an optical waveguide and to obtain a compact light amplifier formed as an element by irradiating the waveguide in which Er<3+> ions are dissolved with the exciting light belonging to the light absorption band of the Er<3+> ions from the side face of the waveguide. CONSTITUTION:An optical waveguide 2 is formed on a glass board 1 in which 3wt.% of more of Er<3+> ions are dissolved. When an exciting light having 0.98mum of wavelength is incident from an exciting light source 4 to the waveguide 2, the Er<3+> ions in the waveguide 2 are excited to an exciting level <4>I11/2. Thereafter, a light having 1.55mum of wavelength corresponding to transition energy between a base level <4>I15/2 and the exciting level <4>I13/2 is generated from the exited Er<3+> ions. Accordingly, if a signal light having 1.55mum of wavelength is incident from one end of the waveguide 2 in this state, this signal light can be amplified. The exciting light radiated from the source 4 is resonated between a reflecting mirror 3 and a rear face reflecting mirror 6, thereby efficiently exciting the Er<3+> ions in the waveguide 2. |
