Abstract: Optical devices are manufactured by aligning domains, or poled volumes, in specific patterns in a ferroelectric crystal material. The ferroelectric crystal material may be poled in a repeated pattern, using an electrode having a shaped contact area that is essentially the same as a single spatial feature of the pattern such as a line or a triangle, or with a shaped contact area that is smaller than a spatial feature of the pattern, or smaller than all of the spatial features of the pattern. These devices may be produced use a repositionable electrode on one surface of the crystal, rather than a conventional, fixed electrode.

Abstract: The manufacture of optical devices by reversing domains in specific patterns in ferroelectric crystal material is practiced using a segmented electrode rather than a continuous electrode on at least one of the surfaces of the ferroelectric crystal material. Independent poling voltages are selectively applied to the segments to create various electric fields inside the ferroelectric crystal material. In this manner, portions of the desired domain-reversed pattern are individually established in the ferroelectric crystal material in high fidelity with their respective electrode segments so that upon completion of poling, the entire domain-reversed structure is established in the ferroelectric crystal material in high fidelity relative to the entire electrode. Parameters of the electrode segment that may be varied singly or in combination to achieve a desired degree of fidelity include the overall size of the electrode segment, as well as the shape and size of the features included in the electrode segment.