Compact high gain erbium-ytterbium doped waveguide amplifier fabricated by Ag-Na ion exchange

A report is presented on an erbium-ytterbium doped waveguide amplifier fabricated by Ag-Na ion-exchange in a commercial phosphate glass substrate. The 31 mm-long active waveguide provides a maximum internal gain of 5.3 dB/cm at 1534 nm. The amplifier was fully characterised in terms of gain spectrum, noise figure, pump efficiency and gain saturation.