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Laser radiation is used both for the deposition of the laser ac tive thin films and for the micro structuring to define wave guiding structures for the fabrication of waveguide lasers. Thin films of Er:ZBLAN (a glass consisting of ZrF 4 , BaF 2 , LaF 3 , AlF 3 , NaF, ErF 3 ) for green up-conversion lasers (545 nm), Nd:YAG (Y 3 Al 5 O 12 ) and Nd:GGG (Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 ) for infrared lasers (1064 nm) are produced. Manufacturing of the laser active waveguides by micro-structuring is done using fs laser ablation of the deposited films. The structural and optical properties of the films and the damping losses of the structured waveguides are determined in view of the design and the fabrication of compact and efficient diode pumped waveguide lasers. The resulting waveguides are polishe d, provided with resonator mirrors, pumped using diode lasers and characterized. Laser operation of a ridge waveguide structure grown by pulsed laser deposition and structured by fs laser ablation is demonstrated. A 1 µm thick, 100 µm wide and 3 mm long structured waveguide consisting of amorphous neodymium-doped Gd

The latest results on the preparation and characterization of Er3+-doped fluoride glass channel waveguides are presented. The waveguides are prepared by means of ion exchange between fluoride and chloride ions, through a silica mask, on ZBLA (ZrF4-BaF2-LaF3-AlF3) fluoride glass substrate. Single mode propagation is demonstrated at 1.55 μm for a 10-mm long, 5-μm wide waveguide. Propagation losses are found to be not greater than 0.28 dB/cm. An "on/off' gain of 3.9 dB is measured at the output of a 1% Er3+-4% Ce3+-doped fluoride waveguide, with about 240 mW incident pump power at 980 nm. Modelisation studies show that net gain could be achieved in (Er3+, Ce3+) doubly-doped and (Er3+, Ce3+, Yb3+) triply doped fluoride waveguides.