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A model of the erbium ion exchange process in lithium niobate crystals

Cinzia Sada ,  Nicola Argiolas ,  Marco Bazzan ,  Maria Vittoria Ciampolillo ,  Paolo Mazzoldi 

Dipartimento di Fisica Università di Padova, Via Marzolo 8, Padova 35131, Italy

Abstract

Since the last decade, erbium ion has been the subject of an increasing interest as one of the most promising dopant for photonic materials, with application in integrated optoelectronics. Among different hosts, lithium niobate (LiNbO3) has drawn a particular attention, thanks to its good intrinsic non linear optical properties. Several methods are currently under investigation for the erbium doping of the LiNbO3 crystals, with the aim to control the erbium distribution, concentration and its site location. Local doping by thermal diffusion and by MeV ion implantation has been extensively studied [1,2] as well as the bulk doping in single domain and in periodically poled structures [3]. Recently we have demonstrated that also ion exchange is suitable for the erbium local doping of LiNbO3 crystals [4] and we present the results of a systematic investigation of this process as a function of the main experimental parameters. In particular, we suggest a model based on the Nernst-Planck equations in order to explain the incorporation of trivalent ions by the ion exchange process in lithium niobate crystals. Due to the material anisotropy and the different valence state of the exchanged species, a correction to the ion flux expression is considered to include the strain effects. The model is then used to predict the erbium ion exchange in both X- and Z-cut slices. By comparing the predicted profiles to the dopant in-depth profiles measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry, we report on the model validity.

References

[1] C.Buchal and S. Mohr, Jour. Mater.Res. 6(1), p.134, 1991

[2] F.Caccavale, F.Segato, I.Mansour, J.M.Almeida, Jour. Mater.Res. 13(6) p.1672, 1998

[3] C.Sada, N.Argiolas and M.Bazzan Appl. Phys. Lett. 79 (14) p. 2163, 2001

[4] C.Sada, E.Borsella, F.Caccavale, F.Gonella, F.Segato, Yu.N. Korkishko, V.A. Fedorov, T.V.Morozova, G.Battaglin, and R.Polloni, Appl.Phys.Lett. 72 (26), p.3431, (1998)

 

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Presentation: Oral at E-MRS Fall Meeting 2007, Symposium F, by Cinzia Sada
See On-line Journal of E-MRS Fall Meeting 2007

Submitted: 2007-05-14 16:29
Revised:   2009-06-07 00:44