CN103213204B - Processing method of lithium nibate polarizer chip - Google Patents

Abstract

A processing method of a lithium nibate polarizer chip includes a first step of cutting a lithium niobate crystal; a second step of conducting grinding and polishing; and a third step of processing a waveguide by the adoption of a proton exchange annealing process and obtaining the lithium nibate polarizer chip. The processing method of the lithium nibate polarizer chip is characterized in that in the first step, when cutting is conducted, a cutting plane is parallel to the Y-axis direction of the lithium niobate crystal, an included angle theta is formed between the cutting plane and the Z-axis direction of the lithium niobate crystal, the included angle theta is larger than 0 degree and smaller than 90 degrees, the waveguide is processed on the lithium niobate crystal by the adoption of techniques of the second step and the third step after that, and finally the lithium nibate polarizer chip is obtained, wherein the included angle theta between a polarizing angle of the lithium nibate polarizer chip and a plane of the waveguide is formed. The processing method of the lithium nibate polarizer has the advantage that adjustment of the polarizing angle of the lithium nibate polarizer chip is finished when the lithium niobate crystal is cut. The processing method of the lithium nibate polarizer further has the advantages of having only one influence of adjustment of an angle of a cutter on the cutting technique, but reducing the complexity of a coupling technique and greatly improving processing efficiency of the coupling technique.

Description

Lithium niobate polarizer chip processing method

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of fiber waveguide device and play inclined technology, particularly relate to a kind of lithium niobate polarizer chip processing method.

Background technology

Along with the progress of technology, field of engineering technology requires all more and more higher for the integration level necessitates of photoelectric device and transmission light wave polarization degree, how under not only ensureing the condition of transmission light wave polarization degree but also the problem that simultaneously can improve photoelectric device integrated level become the hot issue of current industry.

Nearest research shows, is directly applied in optics as the polarizer using lithium niobate waveguides chip, the line polarisation of output not only can be made to obtain a higher degree of bias, and can solve the integrated problem of device simultaneously, the processing technology generally adopted now is: 1) cut by perpendicular to X-axis or perpendicular to the crystal orientation of Z axis lithium columbate crystal, obtain lithium niobate crystal chip, 2) grinding and polishing is carried out to lithium niobate crystal chip surface, 3) proton exchange annealing process is adopted, lithium niobate crystal chip processes waveguide, obtain lithium niobate polarizer chip, then adopt coupling technique that other chip of light waveguide of lithium niobate polarizer chip and any type are carried out end coupling, directly input light is polarized by lithium niobate polarizer chip, this can make line polarisation directly enter in other chip of light waveguide of any type under degree of polarization almost zero-decrement situation,

In industrial production, artificial crystal for processing waveguide chip generally is column type crystal column (crystal column can be axially X-axis, Y-axis, Z axis), for the ease of follow-up processing technology, when cutting, its cut surface is general all perpendicular to the axis of crystal column, is cut into circle (being called wafer), the benefit of such cutting is except simplifying except cutting technique, can also reduce processing to consume, save materials, this just makes those skilled in the art define certain mindset, but, when this processing mode being used for process lithium niobate polarizer chip, just bring new problem: the lithium niobate polarizer chip that the lithium niobate crystal chip adopting aforementioned cutting mode to obtain processes, the polarizing angle degree of the waveguide on lithium niobate polarizer chip and the angle of waveguide surface are 0 degree, so in follow-up coupling technique, in order to obtain suitable polarizing angle degree, just need the angle regulated in coupling technique between other chip of light waveguide of lithium niobate polarizer chip and any type, due to the coupling effect in order to ensure waveguiding structure, end coupling technique generally all adopts manual operation to carry out, this provides for improved the complexity of coupling technique, reduce the efficiency of coupling technique.

Summary of the invention

For the problem in background technology, the present invention proposes a kind of lithium niobate polarizer chip processing method, the method comprises the steps: that the method comprises the steps: 1) lithium columbate crystal is cut, obtain lithium niobate crystal chip, 2) grinding and polishing is carried out to lithium niobate crystal chip surface, 3) adopt proton exchange annealing process, lithium niobate crystal chip processes waveguide, obtain lithium niobate polarizer chip; It is characterized in that:

In step 1), when cutting lithium columbate crystal, cut surface is parallel with the Y direction of lithium columbate crystal, and the Z-direction of cut surface and lithium columbate crystal forms an angle simultaneously , 0 ° of < < 90 °;

Then adopt step 2), 3) in technique, lithium niobate crystal chip processes waveguide, and the structure at waveguide place surface forms waveguide surface, and the final polarizing angle degree that obtains becomes with waveguide surface angle lithium niobate polarizer chip.

Cutting technique generally all adopts full automatic mechanized equipment to carry out, as long as regulate cut direction and the angle of cutting knife, cutting process just can be made efficiently successfully to carry out, therefore, if be put in cutting technique by regulating the work of polarizing angle degree, just can greatly reduce follow-up, need the complexity of manually-operated coupling technique, and then the efficiency of coupling technique is largely increased, and on cutting technique almost without impact, aforementioned schemes is just based on this thinking, the polarizing angle degree of lithium niobate polarizer chip is just regulated when cutting, follow-up coupling technique only needs simply to be alignd with other chip of light waveguide of any type by lithium niobate polarizer chip, in coupling process, operating personnel only need to pay close attention to coupling effect, and without the need to regulating angle.

Advantageous Effects of the present invention is: the adjustment just completing the polarizing angle degree to lithium niobate polarizer chip when cutting lithium columbate crystal, the impact caused cutting technique is only the angle regulating cutting knife, but the complexity of coupling technique is obtained significantly reduce, substantially increase the working (machining) efficiency of coupling technique.

Accompanying drawing explanation

Mutual alignment relation schematic diagram (in figure, the gap between lithium niobate polarizer chip and lithium columbate crystal is cut surface) between the waveguiding structure that Fig. 1, the lithium niobate crystal chip adopting existing cutting mode to cut out and following process go out;

Mutual alignment relation schematic diagram (in figure, the gap between lithium niobate polarizer chip and lithium columbate crystal is cut surface) between the waveguiding structure that Fig. 2, the lithium niobate crystal chip adopting cutting mode of the present invention to cut out and following process go out;

The structural representation of the lithium niobate crystal chip cut out in Fig. 3, Fig. 2 after polishing;

Other chip of light waveguide syndeton schematic diagrames of Fig. 4, lithium niobate polarizer chip and any type;

In figure, each structure corresponding to mark is respectively: other chip of light waveguide 4 of lithium columbate crystal 1, lithium niobate polarizer chip 2, waveguiding structure 3, any type, connect the optical fiber component 5 of Transmission Fibers.

Detailed description of the invention

A kind of lithium niobate polarizer chip processing method, the method comprises the steps: 1) lithium columbate crystal is cut, obtain lithium niobate crystal chip, 2) grinding and polishing is carried out to lithium niobate crystal chip surface, 3) proton exchange annealing process is adopted, lithium niobate crystal chip processes waveguide, obtains lithium niobate polarizer chip; It is characterized in that:

In step 1), when cutting lithium columbate crystal, cut surface is parallel with the Y direction of lithium columbate crystal, and the Z-direction of cut surface and lithium columbate crystal forms an angle simultaneously , 0 ° of < < 90 °;

Then adopt step 2), 3) in technique, lithium niobate crystal chip processes waveguide, and the structure at waveguide place surface forms waveguide surface, and the final polarizing angle degree that obtains becomes with waveguide surface angle lithium niobate polarizer chip.

The lithium niobate crystal chip that cutting mode shown in Fig. 1 obtains, the polarizing angle degree of its waveguide and the angle in chip waveguide face are 0 degree, therefore, in follow-up coupling technique, need to make the waveguide surface of the waveguide surface of lithium niobate polarizer chip and other chip of light waveguide of any type angled when coupling operation, the line polarisation of other chip of light waveguide of input any type just can be made to obtain the polarizing angle degree of corresponding angle, this adds increased the complexity of coupling technique; Adopting the lithium niobate crystal chip that the cutting mode shown in Fig. 3 obtains, just ensure that the polarizing angle degree of the waveguide that following process goes out and lithium niobate polarizer chip waveguide face exist angle when cutting no longer need in subsequent coupling technique to adjust the waveguide surface angle of the waveguide surface of lithium niobate polarizer chip and other chip of light waveguide of any type, only need to ensure that the waveguide surface of lithium niobate polarizer chip flushes with the waveguide surface of other chip of light waveguide of any type;

See Fig. 4, the relative position of each device as shown in FIG., if the lithium niobate polarizer chip in this device is the cutting mode processing adopting prior art, then its polarizing angle degree can only be 0 degree, if the lithium niobate polarizer chip in this device adopts cutting mode of the present invention processing, then when its polarizing angle degree is cutting and the angle of Z-direction.

Claims (1)

1. a lithium niobate polarizer chip processing method, the method comprises the steps: 1) lithium columbate crystal is cut, obtain lithium niobate crystal chip, 2) grinding and polishing is carried out to lithium niobate crystal chip surface, 3) proton exchange annealing process is adopted, lithium niobate crystal chip processes waveguide, obtains lithium niobate polarizer chip; It is characterized in that:

In step 1), when cutting lithium columbate crystal, cut surface is parallel with the Y direction of lithium columbate crystal, and the Z-direction of cut surface and lithium columbate crystal forms an angle simultaneously , 0 ° of < < 90 °;

Then adopt step 2), 3) in technique, lithium niobate crystal chip processes waveguide, and the structure at waveguide place surface forms waveguide surface, and the final polarizing angle degree that obtains becomes with waveguide surface angle lithium niobate polarizer chip.