Low loss ridge waveguides in lithium niobate thin films by optical grade diamond blade dicing

We report on the fabrication and characterization of ridge waveguides in lithium niobate thin films by diamond blade dicing. The lithium niobate thin films with a thickness of 1 mu m were fabricated by bonding a He-implanted lithium niobate wafer to a SiO2-coated lithium niobate wafer and crystal ion slicing. Propagation losses of 1.2 dB/cm for TE and 2.8 dB/cm for TM polarization were measured at 1550 nm for a 9.28 mm long and 2.1 mu m wide waveguide using the Fabry-Perot method. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America