Optical Damage Effects in Z-Axis Oriented LiNbO3Channel Waveguides

Abstract

Channel waveguides produced parallel to the z-axis in xas w d l as y-cut Limo3 by Ti indiffusion are found to display severe optical damage in the form of coupling between TE and TM modes for power levels in the range of 1 100 microwatts at wavelengths of .633 and .488 microns. The effect is manifest by both a steady state power dependent transfer of as much as 30% optical energy between orthogonally polarized modes as well as a transient regenerative switching between these modes seen only in x-cut samples subjected to continuous optical throughput at the above power levels for a period of 8-24 hours. A model of the observations is proposed based on photore f ract ive perturbations.