Optical Channel Waveguides in KTiOPO₄ Crystal Produced by Proton Implantation

We reported on, to our knowledge the first time, the channel waveguide formation in KTiOPO4crystal by the implantation of protons with a special designed photoresist mask. The 2-D refractive index profile was constructed according to the measured dark-mode spectroscopy (for longitudinally planar configuration) as well as the shape of the channel waveguide cross section. Based on this index distribution, the modal profile was calculated through a numerical simulation, which showed reasonable agreement with the near-field light intensity distribution of the guided mode that was obtained by an end-coupling method. After annealing at 200deg C for 30 min in air, propagation loss of the channel waveguides was determined to be as low as ~2.9 dB/cm at wavelength of 632.8 nm.