Spatial solitons in KTa_xNb_1-xO₃ waveguides produced by swift carbon ion irradiation and femtosecond laser ablation

Abstract

We report on the fabrication of planar waveguide and ridge waveguides in a KTN crystal by using swift heavy C5+ ions irradiation and femtosecond laser ablation. The reconstructed refractive index profile of the irradiated KTN waveguide illustrates an optical well and barrier distribution. The confocal Raman spectra suggest that the enhanced tetragonality and the lattice damage occurs in the waveguide region and the optical barrier area, respectively. The optical spatial solitons at 632.8 nm are observed from the planar waveguide and the ridge waveguides with a width of 60 μm and 20 μm, respectively, at room temperature.