Mach-Zehnder Method for Optical Damage Characterization of Planar Waveguides

摘要

A Mach-Zehnder interferometric technique has been implemented for measuring pho-torefractive index changes ("optical damage") in planar waveguides in electrooptic materials, that can be useful for nonlinear-optical applications. First used with channel waveguides, it is here applied to proton-exchanged lithium niobate planar guides. The data is consistent with that obtained from similar measurements. Index changes of about 10~(-4) that build up within some seconds are detected.