Ge-ga-s-based glass composition having light amplifying characteristic

Abstract

A Ge--Ga--S-based glass composition having light amplifying characteristics and an apparatus for optical communications using the glass composition are provided. The present invention includes a sulfur-poor Ge--Ga--S based host glass which includes less S than compositions on the composition line of GeS.sub.2 --G.sub.2 S.sub.3 on the ternary phase diagram of Ge--Ga--S, and a rare earth active material doped on the host glass for luminescence and light amplification. Ga of no more than about 10 mol % is included in the host glass. Also, Pr.sup.3+ ions are used as the rare earth active material. Furthermore, for stable vitrification and a blue shift of a short wavelength absorption band, a vitrification stabilizer such as Br and I is added to the host glass. Also, the present invention includes an apparatus for performing optical communications such as a light amplifier using optical fiber comprised of the glass composition including the S-poor Ge--Ga--S host glass which includes less S than a glass on a composition line of GeS.sub.2 --Ga.sub.2 S.sub.3 and the rare earth active material doped on the host glass for the light amplification.