The refractive index profile of n(a) of potassium niobate (KNbO3) planar waveguides is evaluated for waveguides fabricated with ion energies between 2.0 and 3.5 MeV and doses between 7.5X10(14) cm(-2) and 3.0x10(15) cm(-2). The measured mode index values are fitted to a quantitative model that correlates the index profile with the irradiation parameters. The reconstructed profile of n(a) is compared to the profiles of n(b) and n(c) which have been determined previously. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.