Co-doped Ag nanoparticles and Er Sol-Gel matrices for optical waveguides

M, V. ROLDAN; O. DE SANCTIS; G. TORCHIA; N.PELLEGRI

Montpellier, Francia

Congreso; XIV International Sol-Gel Conference, Septiembre 2-7 2007; 2007

Films produced with high optical transparent compositions throughout the visible spectrum from 0.5 mm to the near infrared are good candidates for wave guiding. On the other hand, Er3+-doped waveguides are fabricated for integrated optic amplifiers, but the increase of Er concentration has a cut-off due to the strengthening of the ion-ion interaction.  (Ag0, Er3+) – doped sol-gel films to produce planar wave-guides have been prepared on silica glass and the aim was to reinforce the fluorescence intensity by a resonant phenomenon between Er3+ and Ag0 nanoparticles, and the dielectric effect of the matrix. The silver quantum dots were synthesized in continuous media by chemical reduction and isolation from media by anchoring chemical solution-compatible modifiers on their surfaces. In this work we present the study of the preparation process and characterization of sol-gel matrices (with high index refraction and low-temperature synthesis: PLZT, SiO2-B2O3, etc.) doped with Ag0 nanoparticles and Er3+ analyzing the role of the synthesis parameters and the optical properties.