Abstract
Dynamic waveguides are induced beneath the surface of magnesium doped near-stoichiometric lithium tantalate by deep UV light at lambda = 257 nm using the interband photorefractive effect. The waveguides can be reconfigured in 10 ms at UV intensities of 100 mW/cm(2). We show the importance of the background illumination for the build-up of dynamic optical waveguides. We also present a new fixing process of the light-induced waveguide structures when the background light is absent. These quasi-fixed structures with dark decay times of several days are due to charges trapped in deep traps.
Highlights
Optical waveguides are one of the fundamental building blocks for integrated optical applications and devices such as modulators, filters, switches and couplers [1]
A promising material for frequency doubling[6, 7], electro-optics[8], long-persistent holographic storage[9] and interband photorefraction[10] is near-stoichiometric and/or Mg-doped LiTaO3, that is transparent down to UV wavelengths near λ = 260 nm. The advantage of this material compared to the as-grown congruent LiTaO3 for the above mentioned applications is the greatly reduced concentration of intrinsic trap levels that are responsible for the conventional photorefractive effect.[6]−[10] We demonstrate here the fabrication of light-induced waveguides in magnesium doped near-stoichiometric lithium tantalate (Mg:SLT)
To the best of our knowledge, light induced waveguides by interband photorefraction were produced in magnesium doped near-stoichiometric lithium tantalate
Summary
Optical waveguides are one of the fundamental building blocks for integrated optical applications and devices such as modulators, filters, switches and couplers [1]. A promising material for frequency doubling[6, 7], electro-optics[8], long-persistent holographic storage[9] and interband photorefraction[10] is near-stoichiometric and/or Mg-doped LiTaO3, that is transparent down to UV wavelengths near λ = 260 nm The advantage of this material compared to the as-grown congruent LiTaO3 for the above mentioned applications is the greatly reduced concentration of intrinsic trap levels that are responsible for the conventional photorefractive effect.[6]−[10] We demonstrate here the fabrication of light-induced waveguides in magnesium doped near-stoichiometric lithium tantalate (Mg:SLT). That the same fixing effect can be used to obtain quasi-fixed waveguide structures in this material Using such fixing mechanism, in routing and switching applications, an optical interconnection can be maintained without the need of any light illumination. When the connection is no longer required, it can be deleted by illuminating the crystal homogeneously, allowing another new connection to be established leading to a new waveguide structure
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