Product Code: ICA11_M1006

Investigations on Microstructuring of Ferroelectric Materials by Picosecond UV Laser Pulses
Authors:
Mareike Stolze, Photonik-Zentrum Kaiserslautern e.V.; Kaiserslautern Germany
Thomas Herrmann, Photonik-Zentrum Kaiserslautern e.V.; Kaiserslautern Germany
Johannes L'Huillier, Photonik-Zentrum Kaiserslautern e.V.; Kaiserslautern Germany
Presented at ICALEO 2011

In recent years ferroelectric crystals, like lithium niobate (LiNbO3) and lithium tantalate (LiTaO3), attended great interest in the fields of integrated optics, telecommunication and nonlinear optics. Because of their remarkable electro-optical and nonlinear-optical properties waveguide structures attracted great interest in these materials, in particular surface structured ridge waveguides. Several fabrication techniques have been established such as wet and dry etching. However these production processes are very complex and time-consuming, therefore laser micromachining be an attractive solution. This process offers several benefits, because of a fast, precise and flexible manufacturing process.
In this paper, we present experimental results on laser microstructuring of LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 by using picosecond laser pulses at 355 nm wavelength. Ablation thresholds were determined from ablated areas as a function of pulse repetition rate and feed rate. Further experiments have shown the influence of low and high laser fluences to material removal rates, surface roughness and heat affected zones. The feasibility of laser micromachining of ferroelectric materials with picosecond lasers will be demonstrated by micromachined ridge waveguide structures.