Abstract

Optical waveguides in potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) are of particularly great significance in the field of integrated optics because of their unique properties required for designing integrated optical devices, in particular, electrooptical light modulators and nonlinear frequency converters.¹ The main advantage of KTP is a low susceptibility to laser induced damage. The bulk optical resistance of KTP is 2-3 orders as larger as that of lithium niobate, which is widely used in integrated optics. As regards LiNbCh waveguides, they exhibit optical damage in the visibleand near IR region at the power of about 1 mW, whatincreases loss in them.² It has been shown recently that optical damage is not observed in proton-exchanged LiTath waveguides at the power of 70 mW (at 0.82 μm).³ Similar measurements of KTP waveguides have not been carried out, however, these waveguides are believed to preserve their properties at a much higher light power density.

© 1991 Optical Society of America