Fabrication method for LiNbO.sub.3 and LiTaO.sub.3 integrated optics devices

US4439265A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Rodney C. Alferness · Holmdel, US
• Lawrence L. Buhl · New Monmouth, US
• Janet Jackel · Holmdel, US
• Susan P. Lyman · Matawan, US
• Vellayan Ramaswamy · Lincroft, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 17, 1981
• Grant date: Mar 27, 1984
• Expiry date: Jul 17, 2001

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C30B29/30
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A simple, inexpensive, and reliable technique for substantially preventing the unwanted formation of a surface guiding layer during manufacture of light-guiding structures in LiNbO.sub.3 and LiTaO.sub.3 substrates is disclosed. The technique involves addition of an effective amount of a gaseous hydrogen donor to the processing atmosphere during high-temperature processing. A particularly convenient hydrogen donor is water vapor, which can be added to the atmosphere by, for instance, bubbling of the feed gas through a water column. A partial pressure of more than about 9 Torr of H.sub.2 O has been found effective in the practice of the technique.