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Laser direct writing: Enabling monolithic and hybrid integrated solutions on the lithium niobate platform
Author(s) -
Thomas Jens,
Heinrich Matthias,
Zeil Peter,
Hilbert Vinzenz,
Rademaker Katja,
Riedel Robert,
Ringleb Stefan,
Dubs Carsten,
Ruske JensPeter,
Nolte Stefan,
Tünnermann Andreas
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.201026452
Subject(s) - lithium niobate , laser , waveguide , femtosecond , materials science , optoelectronics , optics , photonics , photonic integrated circuit , integrated circuit , physics
Applications in life sciences and information technology require all‐optical solutions. In the inevitable race towards miniaturized optical circuits, all‐integrated solutions will prevail against bulk setups. Because of its outstanding nonlinear properties, lithium niobate (LiNbO 3 ) emerged as the key platform for integrated optics. In this paper, we discuss the direct femtosecond (fs) laser inscription technique whose flexibility enables the realization of two‐ and three‐dimensional embedded optical waveguides in various optical materials. Linear and nonlinear components for monolithic and hybrid waveguide devices are characterized and their perspectives are reviewed, e.g. couplers, Bragg reflectors, frequency converters, amplitude modulators and gain modules. Finally, we demonstrate a monolithic LiNbO 3 waveguide chip that combines a frequency doubling and a modulating unit.Schematic of a hybrid fs laser written chip that comprises a rare‐earth‐doped laser section (a), a frequency doubling unit (b), Bragg reflectors (c), waveguide splitters (d) and an amplitude modulator (e).