Current erbium-doped optical amplifiers require working lengths of 10-50 meters. A more efficient erbium ion hosting material could be integrated into optical circuitry and replace some existing electronic circuitry. A successful erbium host material must have a low rate of crystallization and prevent agglomeration of the erbium ions. Two promising candidates for planar optical amplification are Zn0.91Si0.07Ge0.01Er0.01O1.1 (ZSG-low) and Zn0.45Si0.16Ge0.16Er0.23O1.7 (ZSG-high). Powdered reagents were sintered into circular discs at temperatures up to 1040�C for up to 50 hours. Sputtering targets were fashioned by shaping these discs to fit a conductive backing; thin films were created by sputter deposition of the mixed metal oxide targets.  Annealing studies were done on the thin films and the percent crystallinity as a function of annealing time was measured using x-ray diffraction.  Upon measuring kinetics of annealing at multiple temperatures,  the Arrhenius equation enables calculation of the activation energy of crystallization.

Solid state synthesis and crystallization kinetics of mixed metal oxide surfaces

244th National Meeting (2012)

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