Wet etching of proton-exchanged lithium niobate-a novel processingtechnique

A novel and simple method to etch lithium niobate is reported. It was found that proton exchanged areas on the c⁺-face of the crystal can be etched away using a mixture of HF:HNO₃ while the unexchanged regions are left untouched. The method can be used as a tool for studies of the proton exchange process, as well as to form three-dimensional structures