Patent ID: 8144392

Claim:
A signal amplification device for use with a signal generator capable of producing an input signal, said device comprising: a substrate; a thick film gallium lanthanide sulfide glass planar rib waveguide disposed on said substrate, said gallium lanthanide sulfide glass planar rib waveguide being doped with rare earth ion elements; an optical pumping device operable to generate pump energy; and a combining device operable to optically combine the input signal to the pump energy; wherein said thick film gallium lanthanide sulfide glass planar rib waveguide is operable to receive the optically combined signal from said combining device, wherein said thick film gallium lanthanide sulfide glass planar rib waveguide doped with rare earth ion elements operable to amplify the optically combined signal, wherein said gallium lanthanide sulfide glass planar rib waveguide is doped with rare earth ion element Er, wherein said gallium lanthanide sulfide glass planar rib waveguide comprises a thickness of 1-10 μm.