Electro-optic deflection in a lithium niobate quasi-single mode waveguide with microstructured electrodes.

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optoelectronics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Electro-optic devices are crucial for optical signal processing.
• Lithium niobate (LiNbO3) is a key material for integrated optics due to its electro-optic properties.
• Efficient beam deflection is essential for optical switching and laser systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate a novel electro-optic mode deflection device.
• To achieve large deflection angles at low operating voltages.
• To ensure high output beam quality for practical applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing an annealed proton exchange (APE) waveguide in lithium niobate.
• Employing isosceles-triangle-shaped array electrodes for electric field control.
• Designing a horn-shaped input waveguide for beam quality enhancement.
• Characterizing mode deflection performance at different wavelengths (1064 nm and 980 nm).

Main Results:

• Demonstrated effective electro-optic mode deflection.
• Achieved mode deflection efficiencies of 0.265 μm/V at 1064 nm and 0.240 μm/V at 980 nm for an 80 μm wide APE waveguide.
• The tapered input waveguide ensured quasi-single mode output, indicating good beam quality.

Conclusions:

• The proposed device offers efficient beam deflection with low voltage requirements.
• The device shows potential for high-speed optical switching applications.
• The technology is also suitable for beam smoothing in high-power laser systems.