Optical damage resistance of monovalent ion diffused LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 waveguides

Abstract

We report measurements of the zero field photorefractive sensitivity (optical damage) of waveguides fabricated by silver ion exchange in both LiNbO₃ and LiTaO₃ and of LiNbO₃ :Ti guides diffused in the presence of H₂0. Marked differences in the photorefractive sensitivity are found for the different fabrication proceseses. In particular, LiNbO₃ :Ti guides diffused in the presence of H₂0 were significantly less susceptible to optical damage than those diffused in a dry atmosphere, and no index changes were observed in LiTaO₃ :Ag waveguides for exposures up to 10⁵ J/cm² at 4579 Å.