Optical and Structural Properties of MeV Erbium Implanted LiNbO3

Abstract

ABSTRACTLiNbO3 single crystals were implanted with Er ions at 3.5 MeV with fluences up to 3*1016 Er/cm2 and subsequently annealed at 1060°C. The warm-up rate of the sample determines whether the implanted, amorphized surface layer recrystallizes via columnar or via layer-by-layer solid phase epitaxial (SPE) growth. The maximum concentration of optically active Er ions is determined to be 0.18 at.%.