Ferroelectric Crystals for Photonic Applications: Including Nanoscale Fabrication and Characterization Techniques (Springer Series in Materials Science)

This book deals with the latest achievements in the field of ferroelectric domain engineering and characterization at micron- and nano-scale dimensions and periods. The book collects the results obtained in the last years by world scientific leaders in the field, thus providing a valid and unique overview of the state-of-the-art and also a view to future applications of those engineered materials in the field of photonics. Front Matter....Pages i-xviii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Micro-Structuring and Ferroelectric Domain Engineering of Single Crystal Lithium Niobate....Pages 3-19 Fabrication and Characterization of Self-Assembled Ferroelectric Linear and Nonlinear Photonic Crystals: GaN and LiNbO 3 ....Pages 21-51 Sub-Micron Structuring of LiNbO 3 Crystals with Multi-Period and Complex Geometries....Pages 53-77 Nonlinear Optical Waveguides in Stoichiometric Lithium Tantalate....Pages 79-99 3-D Integrated Optical Microcircuits in Lithium Niobate Written by Spatial Solitons....Pages 101-134 Front Matter....Pages 135-135 Light Aided Domain Patterning and Rare Earth Emission Based Imaging of Ferroelectric Domains....Pages 137-164 Visual and Quantitative Characterization of Ferroelectric Crystals and Related Domain Engineering Processes by Interferometric Techniques....Pages 165-207 New Insights into Ferroelectric Domain Imaging with Piezoresponse Force Microscopy....Pages 209-228 Structural Characterization of Periodically Poled Lithium Niobate Crystals by High Resolution X-Ray Diffraction....Pages 229-255 Front Matter....Pages 257-257 Nonlinear Interactions in Periodic and Quasi-Periodic Nonlinear Photonic Crystals....Pages 259-284 Domain-Engineered Ferroelectric Crystals for Nonlinear and Quantum Optics....Pages 285-306 Photonic and Phononic Band Gap Properties of Lithium Niobate....Pages 307-336 Lithium Niobate Whispering Gallery Resonators: Applications and Fundamental Studies....Pages 337-383 Applications of Domain Engineering in Ferroelectrics for Photonic Applications....Pages 385-399 Electro-Optics Effect in Periodically Domain-Inverted Ferroelectrics Crystals: Principles and Applications....Pages 401-420 Back Matter....Pages 421-424 The idea to write a new book in the ?eld of ferroelectric crystals arose from some considerationsreportedinthefollowing. Inthelast5years,severalgroupsallaround the world in the ?eld of engineering and characterization of ferroelectric crystals have published more than 300 papers. The motivation for such an intense research activity is referable to the fact that the ferroelectric crystals are a key element for the most attractive and useful photonic and optoelectronic devices. In fact, during the 60ies, the scientists realized that the ferroelectric crystals could have been - ?ciently used to generate new, unavailable frequencies, taking advantage of the freshly proposed birefringent phase-matching method. The synchronized rush for the development of novel coherent sources and for the discovery of the best-suited nonlinear crystals for mixing and generation had started. Consequently, the range of applications of ferroelectric crystals has enormously widened in the last years, es- cially based on the use of periodically poled structures (i. e. , PPLN, PPLT, PPKTP, or PPKTA) to quasi-phase-match optical interactions. A new generation of sources is ?nding increasing applications in various ?elds, including high sensitivity trace gas monitoring and any kind of advanced spectroscopic set-ups, thus replacing “old style” gas lasers like Argon-ion or dye lasers. New possibilities are also being - plored to engineer ferroelectric crystals with two- or three-dimensional geometries. Results from this ?eld will allow developing photonic devices combining photonic band-gap properties and nonlinear conversion processes, i. e. , nonlinear photonic crystals. Deals with the achievements in the field of ferroelectric domain engineering and characterization at micron- and nano-scale dimensions and periods. This book collects the results obtained by world renowned scientific leaders in the field. It also provides a view to future applications of those engineered materials in the field of photonics.