Raman spectroscopy of the orthorombic-rombohedral structural transition in ferroelectric KNbO3

We report the low frequency Raman behaviour of KNbO₃ at the orthorombic-rombohedral structural transition. Our measurements suggest that the 50 cm^?1 quasimode peak may be attributed to the one phonon density of states triggered to a second order event by a slow fluctuation.     

Optical waveguide engraving in a LiNbO3 crystal fiber

This paper reports the engraving of an optical waveguide inside a LiNbO₃ crystal fiber via the photorefractive effect and an optical vortex. Afterwards this waveguide was successfully tested and its properties evidenced.     

Temperature dependence of acoustic modes in KNbO3 near the orthorhombic-tetragonal phase transition

The wave vector and temperature dependences of transverse acoustic modes propagating along the [001] and polarized along the [100] orthorhombic axis in KNbO₃ have been studied by means of coherent inelastic neutron scattering methods. The results are consistent with previous elastic constant and neutron scattering measurements. The mechanism of the orthorhombic-tetragonal phase transition is discussed in the light of all these data.     

Degenarate four-wave mixing in LiNbO3 and LiTaO3

Continuous wave generation of complex conjugate wavefront via four-wave mixing in LiNbO₃ and LiTaO₃ with diffusion non-linearity is studied. Strong anisotropy of the degenarate four-wave mixing is observed and explained.     

Spectroscopic analysis of Er transition in Mg/Er-codoped LiNbO3 crystal

We present a Judd-Ofelt spectroscopic analysis on the Mg/Er-codoped congruent lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) crystals. The Judd-Ofelt model is applied to the room temperature unpolarized absorption intensities of Er³⁺ ions on eleven transition bands to determine their intensity parameters: Ω₂=2.36×10⁻²⁰ cm², Ω₄=0.76×10⁻²⁰ cm², Ω₆=0.30×10⁻²⁰ cm² in Er:LiNbO₃ crystal heavily codoped with MgO. The radiative lifetime of ²H_9/2 becomes longer when MgO is added into Er:LiNbO₃ crystal. The experimental lifetimes are obtained using microsecond time-resolved spectra at 400 nm femtosecond pulse excitation to predict radiative quantum efficiency. Combining higher radiative quantum efficiency with longer radiative lifetime, we conclude that Mg/Er-codoped LiNbO₃ crystals are more suitable than Er: LiNbO₃ ones in laser materials.     

Soft vibrational mode in LiNbO3 and LiTaO3

The temperature dependence of the far-infrared reflectivity as obtained with a scanning interferometer for the A₁- and E-type modes of both LiNbO₃ and LiTaO₃ is reported in the ferroelectric phase. Results of a Kramers-Kronig analysis are compared with Raman and neutron scattering data which are controversial about the existence of a soft vibrational mode. For LiTaO₃, spectra are obtained 300 K above the Curie temperature, in the paraelectric phase. The lowest-frequency A₁ (TO) mode is unambiguously found as soft and becomes rapidly overdamped.     

The ferroelectric mode in orthorhombic KNbO3

Both Raman scattering and infrared reflectivity measurements have been performed to determine the complete optic mode spectrum of orthorhombic KNbO₃ and characterize the ferroelectric modes. The low frequency, k ～ 0 mode is quasitransverse and possesses a spacial anisotropy similar to the TA branch at finite k. Of the original cubic ferroelectric mode, the component along the remaining soft direction is found at 56 cm^-1 and not overdamped (Γ/ω = 1), while the other two components have stiffened equally so that the mode is essentially isotropic in the orthogonal polarizations.     

Ultra-high-speed LiNbO3 modulators

This paper overviews ultra-high-speed optical modulators fabricated on LiNbO₃ substrate, which are used in large-capacity optical transmission systems.     

飞秒激光制作铌酸锂光波导的研究

针对Z切割铌酸锂晶体在中心波长为800 nm、重复频率为76 MHz的飞秒脉冲激光下,利用放大倍数为40、数值孔径为0.65的会聚透镜聚焦,研究了扫描速度和扫描次数的变化对刻写光波导结构的影响,分析了波导结构变化的原因,并测试了1×2光波导功分器的通光性能.实验结果表明:在采用横向扫描、聚焦深度为350~400 μm、扫描速度为100 μm/s和激光功率为250 mW时,获得较理想的铌酸锂光波导,1×2光波导功分器的输出功率分布基本达到均分.     

Optical behaviour of VTE treated near stoichiometric LiNbO3 crystals

Near stoichiometric LiNbO₃ crystal wafers of thickness up to 2 mm were prepared by vapour transport equilibration technique (VTE) at various process temperatures. Crystals were characterised by measurement of the UV absorption edge, refractive index, second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency, and conoscopy pattern analysis. The comparison of VTE treated crystals show that the blue shift in cut off wavelength occurred with the increasing process temperature (i.e. increasing Li/Nb ratio). The refractive indices were found decreasing with increasing process temperature of VTE samples. The SHG efficiency increases in the range of 1.98-2.3 times for the VTE processed samples with respected to congruent crystals. Conoscopy pattern reveals the optical homogeneity of the VTE treated crystal.     

Optical decoherence and persistent spectral hole burning in Er:LiNbO3

Developing new resonant optical materials for spatial-spectral holography and quantum information applications requires detailed knowledge of the decoherence and population relaxation dynamics for the quantum states involved in the optical transitions, motivating the need for fundamental material studies. We report recent progress in studying these properties in erbium-doped lithium niobate at liquid helium temperatures. The influence of temperature, applied magnetic fields, measurement timescale, and dopant concentration were probed using photon echo spectroscopy and time-resolved spectral hole burning on the 1532 nm transition of Er³⁺:LiNbO₃. Effects of spectral diffusion due to interactions between Er³⁺ ions and between the Er³⁺ ion and ⁷Li and ⁹³Nb nuclear spins in the host lattice were observed. In addition, long-lived persistent spectral storage of seconds to minutes was observed due to non-equilibrium population redistribution among superhyperfine states.     

Optical decoherence and persistent spectral hole burning in Tm:LiNbO3

We report studies of decoherence and spectral hole burning for the 794 nm optical transition of thulium-doped lithium niobate. In addition to transient spectral holes due to the ³H₄ and ³F₄ excited states of Tm³⁺, persistent spectral holes with lifetimes of up to minutes were observed when a magnetic field of a few hundred Gauss was applied. The observed anti-hole structure identified the hole burning mechanism as population storage in the ¹⁶⁹Tm nuclear hyperfine levels. In addition, the magnetic field was effective in suppressing spectral diffusion, increasing the phase memory lifetime from 11 μs at zero field to 23 μs in a field of 320 Gauss applied along the crystal’s c-axis. Coupling between Tm³⁺ and the ⁷Li and ⁹³Nb spins in the host lattice was also observed and a quadrupole shift of 22 kHz was measured for ⁷Li at 1.7 K. A Stark shift of 18 kHz cm/V was measured for the optical transition with the electric field applied parallel to the c-axis.     

Raman study of phase transitions in KNbO3

The influence of grain size on the phase transitions of ferroelectric KNbO₃ was studied by micro Raman spectroscopy. It was found that the three transitions observed are not sharp for small particles (∼50 μm), indicating that they do not behave like bulk particles. The transition temperatures depend on the size and all particles show hysteresis. From these experiments we have obtained some evidence that in small particles monodomains of the rhombohedral and orthorhombic phases coexist in a range of temperatures.     

Hyper-Raman scattering in the LiNbO3 crystal

The hyper-Raman spectra in non-centrosvmmetric LiNbO₃ crystal were obtained using the multichannel recording technique. The hyper-Raman cross-section and non-linear susceptibility for the 151 cm^-1 band were measured.     

Luminescence kinetics of LiNbO3:Yb3+-Er3+, LiNbO3:Er3+, and LiNbO3:Yb3+ crystals under selective excitations in the impurity subsystem

The results of investigations of luminescent radiations’ kinetic characteristics for LiNbO₃:Yb³⁺-Er³⁺, LiNbO₃:Er³⁺, and LiNbO₃:Yb³⁺ crystals under optical excitations at 532 nm and 1064 nm wavelengths are presented. The shapes and times of rise and damping of luminescent signals at 550 nm, 980 nm and 1555 nm wavelengths under selective excitations in the impurity subsystem of the investigated materials are determined. Comparison of the temporal characteristics of luminescent responses of LiNbO₃ crystals doped separately with Yb³⁺ and Er³⁺ ions with those of the LiNbO₃:Yb³⁺-Er³⁺ crystal allows identifying the contributions from different energy transfer processes of optical excitation taking place in the impurity subsystem of the material.     

Electroluminescence in LiNbO3 single crystals

The light emission from LiNbO₃ single crystals caused by the applied a.c. high voltage is studied. It is interpreted as electroluminescence due to impact processes of field accelerated electrons. Two bands can be distinguished in the emission spectrum: one larger with the maximum at 660nm and one smaller at about 500nm.     

Achromatic multibeam coupling in KNbO3: Rb

We examine, both theoretically and experimentally, photorefractive coupling in KNbO₃: Rb with beams at several wavelengths in a dual grating achromatic arrangement. It is shown that, at normal incidence, the coupling gain in the multi-wavelength achromatic configuration is nearly equal to the gain of two beam coupling with a monochromatic source of the same intensity. The dependence of the achromatic gain on the angle between the bisector, of the pump and signal beams, and the normal to the crystal surface is also studied.     

High efficiency second-harmonic generation in KNbO3 crystals

Second-harmonic generation in KNbO₃ crystals has been studied with CW and pulsed Al_xGa_1?xAs and dye lasers. High conversion efficiencies were obtained by noncritical Type I phase-matching at room temperature for the wavelength λ_PM = (860±2) nm using the nonlinear optical coefficient d₃₂ = 21 pm/V. The measured peak power was P_2ω=13.6 μW for a fundamental power P_ω=21 mW with a crystal of l = 8.97 mm in length. The phase-matching wavelength in the orthorhombic phase of KNbO₃ can be temperature tuned between 838 nm (for T = -36°C) and 950 nm (for T = +180°C).     

质子交换LiNbO3光波导

本全面系统地综述了质子交换LiNbO3i光波导的机理、结构特征和光学性质。描述了掺杂LiNbO3质子交换波导的特征,并与纯LiNbO3光波导进行了比较。     

Persistence of tetragonal raman lines in cubic KNbO3

The temperature dependence of the vibrationnal modes in KNbO₃ around the cubic-tetragonal phase transition is studied by Raman scattering measurements. An unexpected intense spectrum is observed above the transition. In addition to broad bands probably due to second order process, it consists of forbidden lines which are characteristic of the tetragonal phase. In particular the presence of the hard component of the soft ferroelectric cubic mode until 30° above T_c can be attributed to the existence of a precursor order near the transition.