LITHIUM IODATE PLANAR WAVE-GUIDES BY PROTON IMPLANTATION

Permanent optical waveguides have been produced by proton implantation in LiIO3 single crystals by using a Van De Graaff accelerator. The ef fects of the crystal cut and of the implantation parameters on the opt ical waveguides properties, investigated by dark line mode spectroscop y, are presented. The profiles of the ordinary and extraordinary refra ctive indices are reconstructed by an inverse WKB method. Optical barr iers with depths of few hundredths (Delta n < 0) are currently obtaine d and their location can be accurately adjusted from 4 to 17 mu m. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.