Monomode optical waveguide in lithium niobate formed by MeV Si+ ion implantation

The monomode enhanced-index LiNbO3 waveguide fabricated by low-dose ion implantation is reported. LiNbO3 crystals were implanted with 3 MeV Si+ ions to doses around 10(14) ions/cm(2). After annealing, the waveguides were formed by the extraordinary refractive index enhancement in the waveguide regions. The effective extraordinary refractive index of the waveguide increased with ion implantation dose. The loss was 0.64 dB/cm in the X-cut sample with an implantation dose of 3.3x10(14) ions/cm(2). The scattering loss in the Z-cut samples was even lower than that in the X-cut samples. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.