Modelling of 980 nm pumped EDWAs: Spectroscopic variations associated to fabrication process

In this work the optical amplification, in the small signal regime, at 1.5 mum in Zn-diffused, proton exchange and reverse proton exchange Er3+-doped waveguide amplifiers (EDWAs) based on LiNbO3 under 980 nm excitation has be en modelled, including the dominant up-conversion channel activated by this pumping wavelength. The overlapping integrals method has been used to inve stigate how the spectroscopic changes, induced by the waveguide fabrication technique, affect the optical amplifier performance. In particular, it has been found that either the amplifier threshold and the maximum gain achiev able are spectroscopy-dependent and therefore fabrication-dependent.