Low-energy ion-beam processing damage in lithium niobate surface-acoustic-wave optical waveguide devices and its post-manufacture removal

Dry-etch processing of lithium niobate acousto-optic Bragg cells using ion beams of low incident energies (500 eV) induces significant modification to the electrical and electromechanical properties of the surface region, severely compromising device operation. The affected properties are largely restored by thermal annealing at relatively low temperatures. (author)