公开(公告)号：US20050115491A1

公开(公告)日：2005-06-02

申请号：US10919695

申请日：2004-08-16

Applicant: Lee Burrows

Inventor： Lee Burrows

IPC: C30B15/00 ,  C30B33/00 ,  G02B6/12 ,  G02B6/134 ,  G02F1/035 ,  C30B1/00 ,  C30B3/00 ,  C30B5/00 ,  C30B28/02 ,  G02B6/10

CPC classification number: G02F1/035 ,  C30B15/00 ,  C30B29/30 ,  C30B33/00 ,  G02B6/1345 ,  G02B2006/12169 ,  G02F2201/066 ,  G02F2201/07 ,  G02F2202/20 ,  Y10S117/91

Abstract: A method for fabricating ion exchange waveguides, such as lithium niobate or lithium tantalate waveguides in optical modulators and other optical waveguide devices, utilizes pressurized annealing to further diffuse and limit exchange of the ions and includes ion exchanging the crystalline substrate with a source of ions and annealing the substrate by pressurizing a gas atmosphere containing the lithium niobate or lithium tantalate substrate above normal atmospheric pressure, heating the substrate to a temperature ranging from about 150 degrees Celsius to about 1000 degrees Celsius, maintaining pressure and temperature to effect greater ion diffusion and limit exchange, and cooling the structure to an ambient temperature at an appropriate ramp down rate. In another aspect of the invention a powder of the same chemical composition as the crystalline substrate is introduced into the anneal process chamber to limit the crystalline substrate from outgassing alkaline earth metal oxide during the anneal period. In yet another aspect of the invention an anneal container is provided that allows for crystalline substrates to be annealed in the presence of powder without contaminating the substrate with the powder during the anneal process. Waveguides manufactured in accordance with the method exhibit superior drift performance.

Abstract translation: 用于制造离子交换波导的方法，如光调制器和其它光波导器件中的铌酸锂或钽酸锂波导，利用加压退火来进一步扩散和限制离子的交换，并且包括使晶体衬底与离子源离子交换， 通过将含有铌酸锂或钽酸锂衬底的气体气氛加压到正常大气压下来对衬底进行退火，将衬底加热至约150摄氏度至约1000摄氏度的温度，保持压力和温度以实现更大的离子扩散和限制 交换，并以适当的降速率将结构冷却至环境温度。 在本发明的另一方面，将与结晶基底相同的化学组成的粉末引入退火处理室中，以在退火期间限制结晶底物从脱气碱土金属氧化物。 在本发明的另一方面，提供一种退火容器，其允许结晶基材在粉末存在下进行退火，而不会在退火过程中用粉末污染基材。 根据该方法制造的波导显示出优异的漂移性能。