Two LiNbO3 (X and Y cut) crystals from different companies were implanted b
y 3.0 MeV Er ions to a dose of 7.5 x 10(14)ions/cm(2) and 3.5 x 10(14)ions/
cm(2) with different beam current densities, respectively. After annealing
at 1060 degreesC in air for 2 hours, one LiNbO3 sample was implanted by 1.5
MeV He ions to a dose of 1.5 x 10(16)ions/cm(2). The Rutherford backscatte
ring/channeling and prism coupling method have been used to study the damag
e and optical properties in implanted LiNbO3. The results show: (1) the dam
age in LiNbO3 created by 3.0 MeV Er ions depends strongly on the beam curre
nt density; (2) after annealing at 1060 degreesC in air for 2 hours, a good
Er doped LiNbO3 crystal was obtained; (3) there is waveguide formation pos
sible in this Er-doped annealed LiNbO3 after 1.5 MeV He ion implantation. I
t is suggested that annealing is needed to remove the damage created by MeV
Er ions before the MeV He ion implantation takes place, to realize the wav
eguide laser for Er doped LiNbO3.