Domain patterning of non-polar cut lithium niobate by focused ion beam

Abstract

The domain switching by ion beam irradiation of single-domain Y-cut plates of congruent lithium niobate doped by 5 mol% MgO was studied. Dot irradiation resulted in the formation of wedge-like domains grown along Z- polar direction. The nonlinear dependences of the domain sizes on irradiation conditions were obtained. The model of domain growth on non-polar cut was proposed in frame of kinetic approach. The absence of the domain merging along Z- polar direction was attributed to the deceleration of the forward growth by electrostatic interaction of the positive charges at the charged domain walls and injected positive ions.