There is at present no commercially available optical amplifier device at this wavelength. The development of such device is therefore of crucial importance and great urgency. Development of germanium sulphide glasses for nonlinear applications. Modern photonic systems require a wide range of nonlinear devices. The vast majority of these use single crystals which are expensive and difficult to grow.
Glasses offer and attractive alternative for their ease of manufacture and adjustable properties.
Development of heavy-metal oxide glasses and glass ceramics. Glass ceramics offer routes to controlled microstructures. Merck UK Pirelli, Milan Germanium sulphide glasses for nonlinear and active devices, for fibre sensors, and as passive delivery fibres. Germanium sulphide glasses combine good glass-forming characteristics with strong nonlinear properties, extended infrared transmission, and high refractive indices. We are developing a small, light and flexible fibre laser at 589 nm using Pr-doped fluoride glass.