Voltage-induced waveguides in lithium niobate films on silicon substrates

Electrically tunable channel waveguides have been fabricated by domain inversion of a LiNbO₃ thin film bonded to a silicon wafer. The electro-optic effect is used to induce the waveguides and to alter its guiding properties. A low amplitude electric signal can tune the voltage-induced structure from an efficient waveguide to an antiguide giving a waveguide transmission that varies over more than 25 dB. The frequency response of the components is given.