Litton Systems, Inc.

Litton Systems, Inc., a Delaware Corporation

Albert Choi

Chin L Chang

Daniel A Niebauer

Sheri L Douglas

Lithium niobate waveguides for light and lithium niobate channel waveguide electro-optic phase modulators for light include sufficient lithium ions such that, when an electrical signal of known value is applied to such waveguides and modulators, the phase of light passing through the waveguide or the modulator changes to a desired value within a time period that is substantially instantaneous.

Electro-optic waveguides and phase modulators and methods for making them

Methods for making proton-exchanged, multi-function integrated optics chips, preferably chips based on the stable, rhombohedral lithium niobate structure, and having substantially diffused protons, while being substantially free of microcracking and of internal stresses that can result in microcracking, and yet having optimally high electro-optic coefficients, include the steps of: forming a multi-function integrated optics chip substrate from a substrate such as lithium niobate; affixing a removable mask or mask pattern to at least one surface of the chip to form one or more proton-exchanged patterns of desired size and shape at the surface of the chip; treating the masked chip with a proton-exchanging acid such as benzoic acid at a temperature and for a time sufficient to cause substantial proton exchange at and below the unmasked surface of the chip, but for a time insufficient to create any microcracking or internal stresses that lead to microcracking in the chip; removing the mask or mask pattern from the chip; and thermally annealing the chip, in an oxygen-containing environment, at a temperature and for a time sufficient to diffuse the hydrogen ions at and near the surface of the chip substantially below its surface, at a temperature and for a time sufficient to optimize the polarization extinction ratio of the chip, and for a time and at a temperature sufficient to restore and to optimize the electro-optic coefficient and to reduce light and propagation losses in the chip.

Growing community of inventors

Woodland Hills, CA, United States of America

Albert Choi