Advanced analysis of domain walls in Mg doped LiNbO₃ crystals with high resolution OCT

The structure of domain walls (DW) in ferroelectric media is of great interest as this material is used for frequency doublers and other applications. We show that the structure of the DWs can nicely be visualized by high resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT). While the high group refractive index of lithium niobate allows a resolution much better than 1 µm, the large dispersion can blur the image and has to be compensated. Therefore, we developed an adaptive dispersion compensation algorithm based on maximizing the intensity of the DWs. By measuring a group of DWs, the mean period of the DWs could be measured with an accuracy of less than 10 nm differentiating samples with only 30 nm distinct periods. By analyzing the peak position, amplitude and phase shift within a DW, we were able to determine steps in the DW of only 50 nm. Furthermore, the inclined course of the DWs in a fan-shaped frequency doubler could be displayed. Therefore, we conclude that OCT is able to provide valuable information about the structure of domain walls in periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN).