Etching of LiNbO/sub 3/ by laser-driven fusion of salts

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:7224866

Ashby, C I.H.; Brannon, P J

Lithium niobate exhibits low reactivity with most chemical etchants. Consequently, etching a LiNbO/sub 3/ surface to produce optical structures such as ridge waveguides or grooves for fiber coupling normally requires relatively slow processses such as ion milling. We have developed a laser-driven chemical etching process for etching highly unreactive ionic solids based on the fusion of salts in the molten phase which can be more than 100 times faster than ion milling rates. This process involves spatially localized melting of LiNbO/sub 3/ by higher-power density laser pulses with photon energies in excess of the band gap of LiNbO/sub 3/. While molten, LiNbO/sub 3/ undergoes reaction with a surface coating of KF to form niobium oxyfluoride anions by fusion of the salts. The resulting solid is highly water soluble. The insolubility of LiNbO/sub 3/ permits subsequent removal of only the irradiated area by rinsing in water. Surface morphology is determined by laser density. The process exhibits a wavelength dependence.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 7224866
• Report Number(s): SAND-86-1395C; CONF-861207-12; ON: DE87003033
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601* -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ETCHING
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEATING
IRRADIATION
LASER-RADIATION HEATING
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
MELTING
MOLTEN SALTS
NIOBATES
NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PLASMA HEATING
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM FLUORIDES
PULSED IRRADIATION
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
SALTS
SURFACE FINISHING
SURFACES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS