Structural influence of proton exchange on domain-inverted lithium niobate revealed by means of selective etching

Selective etching is used to study the influence of different proton-exchange methods on the crystal structure of periodically domain-inverted lithium niobate. The annealed proton-exchange method is shown to interfere strongly with previously patterned domains. A less common graded proton-exchange method that leaves the ferroelectric domain structure intact is demonstrated.<
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