COMPLEMENTARY X-RAY TOPOGRAPHY AND NEAR-SURFACE DIFFRACTION FOR INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE STRUCTURE OF ION-IMPLANTED OPTICAL WAVE-GUIDES

Ion implantation is now a well established technique for the productio n of optical waveguides for integrated optics applications. However, i n some materials, such as lithium niobate, it leads to anomalous optic al properties in the waveguiding region. We have investigated the stru cture of the waveguide and the damaged region in ion-implanted lithium niobate by carrying out complementary X-ray topography and near surfa ce X-ray diffraction on etched crystals. The results indicate radiatio n enhanced annealing in the waveguide itself and the upper region of t he substrate, as well as a high degree of amorphisation in the damaged layer.