Liquid-phase epitaxial growth of bismuth silicon oxide single-crystal film: a new optically activated optical switch.

A single-crystalline double-layered structure of a pure (80-microm)/doped (39-microm)/pure Bi(12)SiO(20) (BSO) substrate was grown for the first time by a new liquid-phase epitaxial growth to form an optical waveguide. The waveguide layer is BSO doped with CaCO(3) (0.1 wt. %) and Ga(2)O(3) (0.197 wt. %) and has a refractive index 0.07% higher than the substrate. The optical absorption coefficients were decreased by more than 1 order of magnitude by doping with the elements Ca and Ga. The high-sensitive photoconductivity of pure BSO was also reduced. Using these unique properties, we have constructed a new type of optically controlled planar optical switch.