Red Laser-Induced Domain Inversion in MgO-Doped Lithium Niobate Crystals

A laser beam at wavelength 647nm is focused on a sample of 5mol% MgO-doped lithium niobate crystal for domain inversion by a conventional external electric field. In this case, a reduction of 36% in the electric field required for domain nucleation （nucleation field） is observed. To the best of our knowledge, it is the longest wavelength reported for laser-induced domain inversion. This extends the spectrum of laser inducing, and the experimental results are helpful to understand the nucleation dynamics under laser illumination. The dependence of nucleation fields on intensities of laser beams is analysed in experiments.     

Phase-matched nonlinear diffraction

We report on a new (to our knowledge) configuration incorporating both birefringence and quasi-phase-matching, enabling efficient phase-matched nonlinear diffraction in one-dimensional periodically poled nonlinear crystals. We demonstrate the method experimentally, showing an efficient nonlinear diffraction to the first few orders in two types of crystals, MgO doped congruent lithium niobate and congruent lithium niobate, and characterize its efficiency dependence on the fundamental power, the propagation angle, and the crystal temperature. This configuration can increase efficiencies observed in nonlinear diffraction experiments, enables ferroelectric domain characterization by nonlinear microscopy, and can be used to determine the duty cycles of periodically poled nonlinear crystals.     

Threshold fluence for domain reversal directly induced by femtosecond laser in lithium niobate

Fabricating domain reversal directly induced by femtosecond laser is a novel and promising method to induce micron-period or even submicron-period inverted domain structure for it averts the domain spreading and mergence which is hard to avoid by traditional electric-field poling method. In this paper, the domain reversal process in lithium niobate crystal by irradiation of femtosecond pulses whose spatial and temporal distributions are taken into consideration is numerically simulated in the framework of Fahy’s model. The simulation results manifest the domain inversion window theory and predict the threshold reversal fluence. The experiment to form domain reversal via direct illumination with femtosecond laser in Y-cut lithium niobate samples was conducted at room temperature. The multi-ring-like structures on the processed samples tally with the inversion window theory and the calculated threshold reversal fluence is well within the scope obtained by simulation, which serves as a corroborative evidence to prove the domain reversals can be formed by direct irradiation with femtosecond laser in lithium niobate.     

Observation of ultra-long lifetime UV-induced infrared absorption in undoped and magnesium-doped congruent lithium niobate crystals

We report experimental observation of ultra-long lifetime UV-induced absorption in undoped and 5 mol.% Mg-doped congruent lithium niobate crystals between 400 nm and 2500 nm wavelength range. The saturated absorption coefficient change in undoped congruent lithium niobate was about 3 to 7 times that in Mg-doped congruent lithium niobate in the mid-infrared spectrum. The UV-illuminated LiNbO₃:Mg was fully recovered in the dark after 2 days, whereas the undoped congruent LiNbO₃ still exhibited nontrivial infrared absorption. We attribute the cause of the UV-induced absorption to the creation of hole-trapped intermediate states O⁻ near lithium vacancies.     

Ultraviolet laser-induced sub-micron periodic domain formation in congruent undoped lithium niobate crystals

We report the formation of ordered sub-micron periodic surface domains on the –z face of congruent undoped lithium niobate single crystals induced by pulsed ultraviolet laser illumination of the sample faces under specific irradiation conditions. We demonstrate the utility of this simple light-induced technique for achieving periodic domain inversion and investigate the nature and spatial structure of these nano-domains by scanning force microscopy. We also demonstrate subsequent re-inversion of a small region of these light-induced nano-domains using scanning force microscopy.     

Characterization of PPLN-microstructures by means of Raman spectroscopy

In this paper we show how the Raman microprobe can be used for characterization of the domain structure in periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN). The Raman scattered intensity of the transverse and longitudinal optical phonons was recorded across the stripe ferroelectric domains at the surface of a z-cut congruent PPLN sample. The change of integrated intensities across the domain structure was attributed to the influence of mechanical stresses and partially screened depolarization fields. PACS 77.80.Dj; 78.30.-j; 77.84.Dy     

Frequency-doubling in self-induced waveguides in lithium niobate

Efficient frequency-doubling is experimentally demonstrated in presence of beam self-trapping in congruent lithium niobate crystal. The self-trapping is induced by the generated second harmonic beam via photorefractive effect under an external applied field. The local space charge field distribution, formed by the second harmonic beam, is shown to efficiently trap both wavelengths. The dynamics of self-focusing is studied along with the power evolution of the second harmonic beam. Fast tuning of phase matching conditions in the written waveguide is realized by an externally applied voltage also used for the photorefractive confinement.     

Manifestation of the specific structural features of lithium niobate single crystals of different composition in their Raman spectra

The Raman spectra of nominally pure lithium niobate single crystals of congruent, close to stoichiometric, and stoichiometric compositions and congruent lithium niobate single crystals doped with Gd³⁺, Y³⁺, and Mg²⁺ ions have been investigated. Weak lines whose widths anomalously decrease with an increase in cation sublattice disordering at a change in the single crystal composition were found for the first time. These lines may be indicative of fine ordering processes involving structural units of the cation sublattice, as a result of which this sublattice is disordered as a whole.     

Surface ablation of congruent and Mg-doped lithium niobate by femtosecond laser

Lithium niobate is praised as silicon in nonlinear optics for its wide usage both in fundamental science and applications in optics. But its photorefractive effect hinders it from more extensive application in optics. The deadlock has been broken by doping some metallic elements such as magnesium into the congruent lithium niobate crystal for its high damage resistance. The single-shot and multi-shot surface ablation experiments by femotosecond laser with the wavelength of 800 nm and the duration of 80 fs were conducted in the same condition and the ablation threshold fluence was gained for congruent lithium niobate crystal and 6 mol % Mg-doped lithium niobate crystal. The band gap widening after doping is responsible for the discrepancy of the ablation thresholds between the two samples. The laser threshold fluence dependence of lasershot number demonstrates the difference of the accumulation effect. The large reduction of trapping cross section for electrons after heavy doping of magnesium is focused more to interpret this distinction.     

Self-similar surface nanodomain structures induced by laser irradiation in lithium niobate

Self-similar surface structures composed of nanodomain rays, which are formed in congruent lithium niobate single crystals under pulsed laser irradiation, are investigated. The computer simulation of the formation of the domain structure is performed using the experimentally revealed rules of ray growth. It is demonstrated that the domain structures formed are fractal objects with a limited range of scaling.     

Anomalies in the pyroelectric properties of LiNbO<Subscript>3</Subscript> crystals of the congruent composition

A number of anomalies are revealed in the temperature dependence of the primary pyroelectric coefficient for single-domain crystals of lithium niobate LiNbO₃ in the temperature range 310–330 K. It is shown that these anomalies are associated with the transformation of the domain structure of the lithium niobate crystals. The problem regarding the correct performance of the pyroelectric measurements and the possible influence of the observed effects on the optical properties of lithium niobate crystals and on the recording of optical phase holograms are discussed.     

The ridge waveguide fabrication with periodically poled MgO-doped lithium niobate for green laser

Ridge waveguides were fabricated using an external field, a precision lapping machine and neutron loop discharge (NLD) in magnesium-oxide-doped lithium niobate. The measured quasi-phase-matching (QPM) wavelength of the second-harmonic generation (SHG) in a 30 mm long periodically poled magnesium-doped lithium niobate (PPMgLN) ridge waveguide which has a domain period of 6.8 μm is about 532 nm. A fabricated periodically poled magnesium-doped lithium niobate ridge waveguide was duty cycle of 51.9 ± 2.83% and demonstrated second-harmonic generation. By using this periodically poled magnesium-doped lithium niobate ridge waveguide, highly effective, low-cost optical devices with high power or short wavelength can be achieved.     

Electro-optic lithium niobate metasurfaces

Many applications of metasurfaces require an ability to dynamically change their properties in the time domain. Electrical tuning techniques are of particular interest, since they pave a way to on-chip integration of metasurfaces with optoelectronic devices.In this work, we propose and experimentally demonstrate an electro-optic lithium niobate(EO-LN) metasurface that shows dynamic modulations to phase retardation of transmitted light. Quasi-bound states in the continuum(QBIC) are observed from this metasurface. By applying external electric voltages, the refractive index of lithium niobate(LN) is changed by Pockels EO nonlinearity, leading to efficient phase modulations to the transmitted light around the QBIC wavelength. The EO-LN metasurface developed in this study opens up new routes for potential applications in the field of displaying, pulse shaping, and spatial light modulating.     

Measurement of the extraordinary refractive index dispersion in the MIR for Mg:Nd:LiNbO3 crystals by the use of quasi-phase-matching in a random 1D domain structure

We present a method of measurement of the extraordinary refractive index dispersion in MIR for periodically and aperiodically poled nonlinear crystals with unknown or uncertain periods. The method is based on the spontaneous parametric down-conversion and is useful for the crystals with domain structure formed directly in the process of growth by Czochralski technique. As an example we measure the extraordinary refractive index of in-growth poled 2 mol% Mg and 1 mol% Nd doped congruent lithium niobate and present the corresponding Sellmeier equation in the range of 0.4–3.6 μm.     

Ablation induced by single-and multiple-femtosecond laser pulses in lithium niobate

We present results on the surface-damage threshold of lithium niobate after single-and multiple-femtosecond laser pulse irradiation at the pulse duration of 80 fs, with a 800-nm wavelength, and a repetition rate of 1 kHz. The surface-ablation threshold was found to decrease significantly with an increase in the pulse number applied to the surface until reaching an almost constant level due to an incubation effect, which is attributed to the laser-induced defect formation. The threshold of lithium niobate under a single shot is found to be 2.82 J/cm², and the threshold fluence for an infinite number of pulses F _th(∞) converges to a common value of 0.52 ± 0.06 J/cm² for N > 80. The results have the potential for application in laser micromachining and the fabrication of related optical devices and applications in frequency conversion by a femtosecond laser in lithium niobate.     

Investigation of the stability of electrical properties of reduced LiNbO<Subscript>3</Subscript> crystals

The instability of the electrical properties of lithium niobate single crystals of congruent composition subjected to reducing thermochemical treatment has been investigated by impedance spectroscopy. It has been shown that the subsequent heating of the reduced lithium niobate samples in dry air up to 380 K or higher is accompanied by the progressive increase in their electric resistance, which is due to the oxidization of the crystal surface layers.     

Electro-optic and dielectric properties of Hafnium-doped congruent lithium niobate crystals

We report the optical and dielectric properties in hafnium (Hf)-doped lithium niobate (LN) crystals. We investigated samples of congruent composition with various doping concentration varying from 0 to 8 mol%. The clamped and unclamped values of the electro-optic coefficient r ₂₂ of Hf-doped LN and the corresponding dielectric permittivity as well, have been experimentally determined and compared with the results obtained in undoped congruent LN crystals. We show that the electro-optic and dielectric properties are only slightly affected by the introduction of hafnium ions, and therefore Hf-doped LN has the advantage of low photorefractive damage compared with the undoped congruent LN.     

Spectroscopic properties of trivalent chromium ion in lithium niobate crystals

The formulas of crystal field theory are derived for a particular case of the C _3v symmetry group. Convenient and numerically simple methods are proposed to take into account the polarization of the local environment of the Cr³⁺ impurity ion in LiNbO₃. The parameters of intraion interactions for Cr³⁺ in lithium and niobium positions in the lithium niobate lattice and the distortion of the niobium octahedron in lithium niobate, which is caused by the incorporation of trivalent chromium ion, are determined.     

Temperature-dependent Sellmeier equation for the index of refraction, n(e), in congruent lithium niobate

A Sellmeier equation for the extraordinary index of congruent lithium niobate is derived. The source data for the fit contain previously published data [Opt.Commun.17, 322 (1996); erratum 20, 188 (1997); J.Appl.Phys. 45, 3688 (1974)] and new measured tuning data for an optical parametric oscillator using periodically poled lithium niobate. Phase-matching predictions are accurate for temperatures between room temperature and 250 degrees C and wavelengths ranging from 0.4 to 5 mum .     

Two-dimensional mapping of electro-optic phase retardation in lithium niobate crystals by digital holography

We demonstrate accurate two-dimensional mapping of the phase retardation induced by the electro-optic effect in lithium niobate crystals. Off-axis digital holography is used to investigate congruent z-cut crystals. The spatially resolved optical path difference is interferometrically measured while a linearly rising voltage ramp is applied to the crystal. This procedure provides information on the uniformity of crystals' electro-optic properties and offers the ability to detect the presence of defects that is of fundamental importance for reliable processing of photonic devices.