Z+/Z− lithium niobate optical waveguide sensitivity related to pyroelectric effect

Lithium niobate crystal is widely used for the design and fabrication of integrated electro-optic modulators. As a ferroelectric material, one sees its spontaneous polarization change with temperature variations. This phenomenon, known as the pyroelectric effect, induces strong waveguide transmission variations for waveguides realized on Z -cut wafers. Waveguides made by titanium in-diffusion either on the Z + or Z − side of the crystal show a significant difference in temperature behavior. Experimental data, enlightened by numerical simulations, help to show why Z − waveguides are more immune to temperature changes than Z + ones.