Photonic crystal structures in ion-sliced lithium niobate thin films.

We report on the first realization of photonic crystal structures in 600-nm thick ion-sliced, single-crystalline lithium niobate thin films bonded on a lithium niobate substrate using adhesive polymer benzocyclobutene (BCB). Focused ion beam (FIB) milling is used for fast prototyping of photonic crystal structures with regular cylindrical holes. Unwanted redeposition effects leading to conically shaped holes in lithium niobate are minimized due to the soft BCB layer underneath. A high refractive index contrast of 0.65 between the lithium niobate thin film and the BCB underlayer enables strong light confinement in the vertical direction. For TE polarized light a triangular photonic crystal lattice of air holes with a diameter of 240 nm and a separation of 500 nm has a photonic bandgap in the wavelength range from 1390 to 1500 nm. Experimentally measured transmission spectra show a spectral power dip for the GK direction of the reci ocal lattice with an extinction ratio of up to 15 dB. This is in good agreement with numerical simulations based on the three-dimensional plane wave expansion (PWE) and the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method.

High-resolution laser lithography system based on two-dimensional acousto-optic deflection.

We present an advanced high-resolution, compact laser lithography system for fast prototyping of complex integrated optics devices comprising microring resonators and photonic crystal structures. Precise and flexible structuring of photoresist patterns is achieved by combing three linear stages (xyz) for sample positioning and a two-dimensional acousto-optical deflector for laser beam steering and intensity control. A continuous wave diode laser operating at a wavelength of 375 nm is used to illuminate all types of photoresists including SU-8. Using a microscope objective with a numerical aperture of 1.40, structure widths of approximately 200 nm can be obtained. The write-field covered by acousto-optic deflection can be as large as 200x200 microm(2) when using an objective with a focal length of 4.5 mm. With a two-step lithography process, gaps as small as 150 nm between adjacent structures have been achieved, yielding superior photoresist masks for microring resonators with coupling ports.

Optical microring resonators in fluorineimplanted lithium niobate.

We report on the production and characterisation of optical microring resonators and optical channel waveguides by using fluorine-ion implantation and planar structuring in lithium niobate. We demonstrate the production of single-mode planar waveguides by low fluence fluorine-ion implantation (?? = 2.5 x10(14) ions/cm(2)) into lithium niobate wafers. The waveguides are strongly confined by the amorphous 2-microm wide optical barrier induced by the implantation process. A refractive index contrast of Deltan(o) = 0.17 at the telecom wavelength lambda = 1.5 microm has been determined between the waveguide and the barrier. Planar structuring with ridge height of up to 1.2 microm has been achieved by laser lithography masking and Ar(+) sputtering. For TE waves, the channel waveguides exhibit propagation losses lower than 8 dB/cm. First ring resonators with 80-microm radius have been fabricated by planar structuring in fluorine-ion implanted lithium niobate. The measured resonance curves show an extinction ratio of 14 dB, a free spectral range of 2.0 nm and a finesse of 4.

Electro-optic phase modulation in ridge waveguides of epitaxial K(0.95)Na(0.05)Ta(0.71)Nb(0.29)O(3) thin films.

Electro-optic modulation at lambda=1.5 mum has been demonstrated for the first time to the best of our knowledge in a ridge waveguide phase modulator produced in cubic potassium sodium tantalate niobate thin films epitaxially grown on potassium tantalate substrates exploiting the large quadratic electro-optic Kerr coefficient of R11 = 8.2x10(-17) m(2)/V(2). The relative permittivity, Kerr coefficient, and refractive index have been evaluated for the thin film crystal and are compared to the values measured in bulk crystals. The half-wave voltage times length figure of merit of the modulator has been measured to be Vpil=38 Vcm at room temperature.

Optical waveguides in Sn(2)P(2)S(6) by low fluence MeV He+ ion implantation.

Planar waveguides in nonlinear optical crystals of Sn(2)P(2)S(6) have been produced by He+ ion implantation. The effective indices of the waveguide have been determined and refractive index profiles have been evaluated for the indices along all three principal axes of the optical indicatrix. The depth of the induced optical barrier is n1 = -0.07, n2 = -0.07 and n3 = -0.09 at lambda = 0.633 microm for a fluence Phi = 0.5x10(15)ions/cm(2). Propagation losses for hybrid-n(1) modes are alpha approximately 10dB/cm.