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Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) consist of various optical components. These include light sources, modulators, detectors, and waveguides. Those components work together to generate, control, and receive light signals. Among the materials used for PICs, Lithium Niobate is particularly promising for optical waveguides and modulators. Its strong Pockels effect, with an electro-optic coefficient of approximately 30 pm/V, enables efficient modulation of light.

Our new application note demonstrates ion beam etching for pattern transfer in fabricating lithium niobate (LiNbO₃, abbr. LN) waveguides.

Want to learn more? Read the complete Application Note for free.

Susanne Hartmann's presentation at the Photonics Spectra Integrated Photonics Summit 2026 discusses the typical challenges associated with ion beam etching and explains how our technology addresses sidewall effects such as footing, fencing, and trenching in thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) processing, thereby enabling lower optical losses in photonic integrated circuits.

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Reactive Ion Beam Etching of Lithium Niobate for Photonic Integrated Circuits

scia Systems GmbH is partner in the funded joint project AziTrim, a research initiative aimed at developing an optimized process chain for the fabrication of variably tilted surface relief gratings (SRGs) using ion beam etching.

With effect from January 1, 2026, Robert Rückriem joined the management team at scia Systems. Together with Dr. Michael Zeuner and Dr. Michael Gempe, he will lead the company going forward.

The Advanced Mask Technology Center (AMTC) has acquired a new cluster system from scia Systems, with strategic support from Tekscend Photomask. The scia Cluster 215 is a state-of-the-art cluster system comprising two processing chambers and a central handling robot. It is specifically designed for ion beam etching of optical materials

Augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) have swiftly transitioned from a futuristic concept to a practical technology, altering the landscape of numerous sectors. For the development of lightweight near-eye displays, surface relief gratings (SRG) are employed to couple light from the source into the waveguide and then guide it out toward the eye. Ion beam trimming has been adapted as a versatile approach for creating SRGs with varying trench depths.

This study demonstrates how reactive ion beam trimming can be utilized to produce slanted surface relief gratings, featuring different grating geometries in terms of width and pitch, suitable for the specific requirements of nanoimprint lithography.

The scia Mill 200 enables reliable research work at the Competence Center for Nano System Technology at Kiel University, even for future generations of researchers.

The Institut National d’Optique (INO), the largest center of expertise in optics and photonics in Canada, has recently installed a scia Mill 200 system in their Quebec facility.

SPINTEC, one of the leading spintronics research laboratories worldwide, has recently installed a scia Coat 200. The system uses ion beam sputtering (IBS) to achieve smooth, dense, and defect-free thin-films that are used in the production of magnetic tunnel junctions.

scia Systems GmbH will showcase new capabilities at SEMICON Korea 2026, taking place February 11-13 at the COEX in Seoul, South Korea.

The company will present its industry-leading scia Mill series of ion beam etching (IBE) systems supporting high-precision, high-throughput semiconductor device manufacturing and failure analysis (FA). scia Systems will also highlight key advances in ion-beam processing for photonic integrated circuit (PIC) manufacturing.

Latest Company News

Patterning of Lithium Niobate via Ion Beam Etching for Photonic Integrated Circuits

New Presentation: Reactive Ion Beam Etching of PIC Materials with High Optical Performance

Research Project AziTrim: scia Systems develops an innovative process chain for the Production of SRG

Robert Rückriem becomes new managing director

AMTC Upgrades Photomask Production with New Cluster System from scia Systems

NEW WHITE PAPER: Improving Surface Relief Gratings: Multi-Depth Approaches at Different Angles for NIL Master Stamp Production

scia Systems received an order for a scia Mill 200 ion beam etching system from Kiel University

scia Systems to Supply Ion Beam Milling Equipment to INO

scia System Delivers a Combined Ion Beam Sputter Deposition and Ion Beam Etching System to SPINTEC

scia Systems Showcases New Innovations in Semiconductor Failure Analysis and Photonic Integrated Circuit Processing at SEMICON Korea 2026