EXCIMER-LASER AND ELECTRON-BEAM IRRADIATION EFFECTS IN IRON-DOPED LITHIUM-NIOBATE

Excimer laser (lambda = 308 nm, tau = 10 ns) and electron beam (W = 7 MeV) irradiation effects in Fe-57:LiNbO3 have been studied on samples of two crystallographic orientations. Complementary information regard ing radiation induced changes to the optical absorbance of the crystal , valence states of Fe, phase composition and morphology of the irradi ated regions was obtained by optical absorption measurements, Mossbaue r spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, microRaman and Read thin film camera analysi s. The relationship between irradiation treatment conditions and induc ed property modifications in iron-doped lithium niobate is reported wi thin the frame of available defect models.