Low-loss erbium activated silica-tin oxide planar waveguides

New classes of erbium-doped silica-based planar waveguides are fabricated by the uniform deposition of photorefractive, low-phonon energy SnO 2 with 25% maximum molar composition. The optical properties reveal low attenuation coefficient of 0.5±0.2 dB/cm at 1.54μm.