ER-(3-DOPED AL2O3 THIN-FILMS BY PLASMA-ENHANCED CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION (PECVD) EXHIBITING A 55-NM OPTICAL BANDWIDTH())

We report the first deposition of Er3+-doped aluminum oxide thin-film optical waveguides by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD ), The aluminum and erbium precursors used for the deposition of the t hin films were trimethyl-aluminum and Er tri-chelate of 2,2,6,6-tetram ethylheptane-3,5 dione respectively, The samples show broad, room-temp erature photoluminescence at lambda = 1.5333 mu m. The Er3+ concentrat ion ranged from 0.01-0.2 At%. The full width half maximum (FWHM) of th e Er3+ emission spectrum is 55 nm, considerably broader than in silica glass, The radiative lifetime has been measured at 50-mW pump power.