Rare-earth doped silica planar waveguide lasers fabricated by flame hydrolysis deposition and reactive ion etching

Our results on both solution doped and aerosol doped silica waveguide lasers have been described. Using the solution doping technique and optimising the output coupling a Nd-doped laser with a slope efficiency of 10 % has been demonstrated. This figure is greater than has been observed before . Laser oscillation using the aerosol doping technique has also been observed for the first time. It is envisaged that monolithic integration of both active and passive devices will be possible using selective area doping techniques and grating structures.