Surface nanoscale periodic structures in congruent lithium niobate by domain reversal patterning and differential etching

We report on the fabrication and characterization of one- and two-dimensional periodic structures down to 200 nm size, in congruent lithium niobate crystal samples. Periods from 2 mu m to 530 nm are investigated. Interference photolithography is used to obtain short pitch insulating gratings, and subsequent electric-field poling, at the overpoling regime, is performed for periodic domain inversion. Nanoscale structures are obtained by selective chemical etching, and topographic investigations are performed by atomic force microscope. The fabricated structures are attractive in nonlinear optics for short-wavelength conversion and in the field of photonic crystals for Bragg and band-gap applications. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.