Integrated (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 Heterostructure Waveguide Devices Fabricated by Solid-Phase Epitaxy

Abstract

AbstractHeterostructures of a Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) waveguide/(Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3 (PLZT) system buffer layer were grown on a Nb-doped SrTiO3 (Nb:ST) substrate by solid-phase epitaxy. The propagation loss in the PLZT heterostructure waveguides was on the order of I dB/cm. An electro-optic beam deflection device with an ITO prism electrode on the surface of the PLZT heterostructure waveguide presented efficient deflection of the coupled laser beam by applying a voltage between the electrode and the substrate. A beam deflection greater than 10 mrad at 5 V and frequency response as fast as 13 MHz were observed. An apparent electro-optic coefficient as large as 39 pmJV was estimated from the deflection characteristics for the TE mode and TM mode suggesting the polarization independent nature of the PZT waveguide. For integrating the electrooptic PLZT heterostructure waveguides, channel waveguides were fabricated in the PZT waveguides using a simple wet-etching process. Based on a low-voltage drive structure, lowloss waveguide process, and fine patterning process, a fabricated digital matrix switch showed a – 10 dB cross-talk at a voltage as low as 7.5 V.