Structural and optical characterisation of Nd doped YAlO3 films deposited on sapphire substrate by pulsed laser deposition

The textured and amorphous thin waveguiding films of Nd/YAlO3 (Nd/YAP), wer e directly deposited on (0001) and (1 (1) over bar 02) sapphire substrates by a pulse laser ablation technique. The structural properties of the sampl es were characterised by X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe analyses . A strong dependence of crystalline structure and stoichiometry of the fil ms on oxygen pressure was found. Luminescence around 1070 nm wavelength reg ion was observed. Further excitation spectra were measured by means of a tu neable Ti-sapphire laser with a wavelength of approximately 800 nm and the fluorescence was observed at 1070 nm, The fluorescence decay constant was d etermined as 185 +/- 5 mu s The refractive indices of the him in the range 1.8134-1.8244 at 1064 nm have been measured by the m-line technique. The in crease of the films refractive index by Delta n = 8 x 10(-3) at 1064 nm wav elength was observed with the change of dopant Nd concentration of 0.16%. W aveguiding losses lower than 1 dB/cm have been demonstrated at 1.06 mu m wa velength. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.