Soliton Waveguide Arrays in LiNbO3 Generated with Blue-Violet Lasers for Ultrafast Parallel Coupling

We experimentally demonstrate generation of bright spatial solitons in lithium niobate crystals, with a blue-violet laser diode, at lambda = 405 nm. This wavelength is near the short wavelength absorption edge of the crystal and allows the rapid (minute) generation of solitons and soliton waveguides (SWGs) with low laser powers (similar to 5 mu W). Using a serial writing procedure, we have built a SWG array of 10 fiber-like waveguides in approx. 10 minutes. The IR guiding capability of these SWGs recorded in lithium niobate is tested by guiding femtosecond laser pulses at lambda = 1030 nm and 1550 nm and shows low absorption and low dispersion. These waveguides can be very useful for ultrafast parallel coupling applications in integrated photonics.