Laser-Induced Fracturing: An Alternative to Mechanical Polishing and Patterning of<tex>$rm LiNbO_3$</tex>Integrated Optics Chips

Abstract

We report a method for cutting z-oriented LiNbO/sub 3/ substrates into nearly arbitrary shapes using a pulsed UV laser to controllably fracture the crystal. The end surfaces appear optically smooth. Ti-diffused waveguides terminated using this technique have fiber-waveguide-fiber insertion losses which are equal to the lowest values reported for waveguide end faces prepared using conventional mechanical polishing techniques.