Planar waveguide electrooptic prism deflector
US4000937A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 5, 1975 |
| Grant date | Jan 4, 1977 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 5, 1995 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/295
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Electrooptic prism-type deflection is provided in a planar waveguide thin film of electrooptic material, such as a thin titanium-diffused region in a lithium niobate crystal, by means of an electrode arrangement involving three thin metallic stripes as the only needed electrodes. All three stripes are disposed on top of the thin film of light-guiding electrooptic material, the outermost two being essentially parallel to the incoming light beam path, and the third extending diagonally between opposite ends of, but not contacting, the others. The electrooptic material is oriented to have its crystallographic C-axis, along which it exhibits a linear electrooptic effect, parallel to the interface of the light-guiding film and the lower index substrate and othogonal to the initial propagation direction of the light beam. Like deflection voltages are applied to the two triangular electrooptic waveguide portions defined by the stripes. It has been found that the device can operate as a bipolar switch for electrode voltages as small as .+-.15 volts.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.