Erbium-doped yttria-stabilised zirconia thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition for photonic applications

Abstract On-chip optical amplifiers operating at telecom wavelengths are crucial elements for signal recovering and routing in photonic integrated circuits. In this work, we present the optical and structural properties of Er-doped yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin films for the implementation of on-chip optical amplifiers in hybrid multifunctional photonic platforms. Photoluminescence excitation measurements have revealed strong luminescence at 1530 nm under 960 nm wavelength pumping, with lifetime values around 2 ms and a strong Er3++–Er3+ interaction for Er3+ doping concentrations beyond 1.5 atomic percentage (at%). This work contributes to establish the solid foundations for a class of Er-doped on-chip amplifiers using the robust and stable YSZ host matrix.