Abstract
We present our experimental investigations of the domain evolution in lithium niobate. Particular attention is paid to the short-pitch and nanoscale domain patterning. We demonstrate the production of domain patterns with period down to 2.6 μ.m in 0.5-mm-thick LiNbO3wafers by backswitched poling using lithographic stripe electrodes and nanoscale domain patterns consisting of strictly oriented arrays of nanodomains (diameter down to 30 nm, density up to 100 μm−2).