Surface acoustic wave optical modulator
US5101294A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 1990 |
| Grant date | Mar 31, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 30, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/01708
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An acousto-optic modulator is described which comprises a first support layer and a second layer of piezoelectric semiconductor material disposed over the support layer. The second layer includes a plurality of active sublayers, each active sublayer having a planar surface and thickness dimension which is such as to enable the active layer to exhibit quantum-well effects. A surface acoustic wave structure is disposed on the second layer for creating an acoustic wave in the second layer. The acoustic wave induces electric field variations therein which are perpendicular to the planar surface of the active sublayers and alter an optical property thereof. An optical beam is directed through the second layer, which beam is modulated by the altered optical properties of the active sublayers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.