Gamma-Ray Irradiation-Enhanced Wet-Etching of Proton-Exchanged Lithium Niobate

Gamma-ray irradiation-enhanced wet-etching of proton-exchanged Z-cut Y-propagating LiNbO
₃
is presented. The etched ridge height of a sample with gamma-ray irradiation of intensity 650 krad/h on a LiNbO
₃
substrate for 30 min is three times larger than that without. Moreover, experimental results show the propagation loss values of Ti-indiffused LiNbO
₃
waveguides fabricated on the irradiated ridge structures are only slightly larger than those on the nonirradiated ones.