Several benefits are realized when one chooses z-propagating waveguide in a y-cut substrate of lithium niobate for use in an integrated optics Pockels cell: (1) waveguide can be biased by controlling its length; (2) polarization state is nearly uniform over the entire output plane of the waveguide; (3) temperature change does not significantly affect the bias of the waveguide; (4) optical damage is negligible; and (5) waveguide fabrication is very simple.
