Photo-written three-dimensional optical circuits in iron doped lithium niobate crystals

Peng Zhang; Jianlin Zhao; Honglai Xu; Yanghua Ma; Dexing Yang

doi:10.1117/12.674200

9 June 2006 Photo-written three-dimensional optical circuits in iron doped lithium niobate crystals

Peng Zhang, Jianlin Zhao, Honglai Xu, Yanghua Ma, Dexing Yang

Proceedings Volume 6149, 2nd International Symposium on Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing Technologies: Advanced Optical Manufacturing Technologies; 61490D (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.674200
Event: 2nd International Symposium on Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing Technologies, 2005, Xian, China

Abstract

We present our experimental results on fabricating optical waveguides by laser micromachining, structure-light illuminating, and optical spatial dark solitons in iron doped lithium niobate (LiNbO₃:Fe) crystals. After that we propose a novel approach to fabricate three-dimensional (3-D) optical circuits in LiNbO₃ crystals by combining the three light-induction techniques listed above. By employing laser micromachining, a curved and a Y-branches waveguides are successfully fabricated. With binary and SLM-prepared optical masks, Y-branches and gradient planar waveguides are experimentally demonstrated. By utilizing one-dimensional (1-D) optical spatial dark solitons, planar, Y-branches, and square channel waveguides are formed. The results show that each of the three methods can be employed to write optical waveguides in LiNbO3 crystals. By combing the three methods, 3-D light circuits can be created in 45^o-cut bulk crystals by several procedures. Initially, a quasi-planar optical circuit is created in a thin layer of the crystal by structure-light illuminating with an optical mask. Then, a planar circuit is generated by utilizing a 1-D dark soltion. And then, form multi-layer planar circuits are formed by altering the positions of the crystal or writing beam. Finally, laser micromachining is used to link the different layers to form a 3-D light circuit. Furthermore, functional 3-D integrated optical system may be implemented by using the proposed approach.

Citation Download Citation

Peng Zhang, Jianlin Zhao, Honglai Xu, Yanghua Ma, and Dexing Yang "Photo-written three-dimensional optical circuits in iron doped lithium niobate crystals", Proc. SPIE 6149, 2nd International Symposium on Advanced Optical Manufacturing and Testing Technologies: Advanced Optical Manufacturing Technologies, 61490D (9 June 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.674200

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