Regular ferroelectric domain array in lithium niobate crystals for nonlinear optic applications

We present our experimental investigations of the domain evolution in lithium niobate. Particular attention is paid to the short-pitch and nanoscale domain patterning. We demonstrate the production of domain patterns with period down to 2.6 um in 0.5-mm- thick LiNbO3 wafers by backswitched poling using lithographic stripe electrodes and nanoscale domain patterns consisting of strictly oriented arrays of nanodomains (diameter down to 30 nm, density up to 100 um-2).