Patterning of LiNbO3 by means of ion irradiation using the electronic energy deposition and wet etching

In order to investigate the damage formation and etching behavior of lithium niobate (LiNbO3) due to the electronic energy deposition, x-cut LiNbO3 was irradiated at room temperature with 5 MeV Si-ions at ion fluences between 7 x 10(12) and 1 x 10(14) cm(-2). The irradiated samples were stepwise etched in a 3.7% HF-solution at a temperature of 40 degrees C. The investigation of the etching behaviour shows that the etched depth increases with the ion fluence, i.e. with increasing defect concentration and is largest in the case of an amorphous layer. The ion fluences for amorphization in the electronic energy loss regime are 10 times lower compared to the amorphization fluences in the case of the damage formation due to the nuclear energy loss. As a consequence the electronic energy loss allows a very easy fabrication of thick amorphous layers.