Continuous-wave broadband emitter based on a transition-metal-ion-doped waveguide

We demonstrate the suitability of a simple continuous-wave-pumped transitio n-metal-ion-doped waveguide as a broadband light source in the wavelength r egion 600-1000 nm for interferometric applications. Spatially coherent (sin gle mode in the confined direction), spectrally broadband (similar to 130-n m FWHM) luminescence with output powers of several hundreds of microwatts i s obtained from a Ti:sapphire planar waveguide with incident pump powers fr om an Ar-ion laser of up to 1 W. This result represents an increase in powe r by several orders of magnitude from previously reported simple broadband light sources in this wavelength range. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America .