Erbium-doped tellurite glasses show great potential for the fabrication of high-performance
integrated optical amplifiers and lasers, thanks to their unique properties in terms of bandwidth and
rare earth solubility. As a first step towards the development of smart multi-functional integrated
optical circuits, the fabrication of multimode channel waveguides in a sodium-tungsten-tellurite
glass, by using nitrogen ions implantation, has been recently demonstrated [1].
The effects of the ion implantation process, however, have not been fully clarified, and a deeper
investigation would be necessary in order to optimize the process and to truly exploit the glass
useful characteristics. We therefore report here the results of a broad optical, topographic, and
structural characterization of tellurite samples irradiated with various doses of nitrogen ions, while
keeping constant the beam energy at 1.5 MeV. Characterization techniques have included
absorption and luminescence spectroscopy, modal (dark-line) spectroscopy, surface profilometry,
scanning electron microscopy, cathodoluminescence spectroscopy and EDX analysis.