Full characterization of packaged Er-Yb-codoped phosphate glass waveguides

We present a procedure for the characterization of packaged Er-Yb-codoped phosphate glass waveguides. The procedure is based on precise measurements of the output optical powers when the waveguide is diode-laser pumped at 980 nm. The dependence of these optical powers on the input pump power is then fitted to the results from a numerical model that describes in detail the propagation of the optical powers inside the waveguide. The best fit is obtained for the following parameters: the signal wavelength scattering losses are /spl alpha/(1534)=8.3/spl times/10/sup -2/ dB/cm, the Yb/sup 3+/ absorption and emission cross sections (/spl ap/980 nm) are 5.4/spl times/10/sup -25/ m/sup 2/ and 7.0/spl times/10/sup -25/ m/sup 2/, the Er/sup 3+/ absorption and emission cross sections (/spl ap/980 nm) are 1.6/spl times/10/sup -25/ m/sup 2/ and 1.2/spl times/10/sup -25/ m/sup 2/, the Yb/sup 3+/--Er/sup 3+/ energy-transfer coefficient is 1.8/spl times/10/sup -23/ m/sup 3//s and the cooperative-upconversion coefficient is 8/spl times/10/sup -25/ m/sup 3//s. An approximate method is introduced that allows the determination of the absorption and emission cross section distributions for the erbium /sup 4/I/sub 13/2//spl hArr//sup 4/I/sub 15/2/ transition from the amplified spontaneous emission power spectrum.