Acoustic optics (AO) devices employ mechanical waves to manipulate light in various ways, including deflecting it into spatial modes, modulating its intensity, shifting frequency or rotating polarization.
These devices are key components in many optical systems; however, their efficiency does not compare favorably with that of their bulk counterparts.
These devices are key components in many optical systems; however, their efficiency does not compare favorably with that of their bulk counterparts.
Acoustic optical modulators
Optic communication systems often utilize modulated light output as a key way of controlling signal strength and phase. Acousto-optic technology can make these processes faster and more efficient by employing acoustic waves as an interaction medium.
An Acoustic Optic Modulator (AOM) uses an electrical signal to create sound waves which resonate within crystal or glass material. When these acoustic waves enter at an ideal angle, they constructively interfere and form a diffracted beam similar to what occurs with Bragg diffraction in X-ray reflections.
AOMs come in many designs and materials. Some employ traveling-wave geometries that enable wide modulation bandwidths by taking advantage of an acoustic wave’s single pass propagation time through crystal regions (e.g. flint glass, lead molybdate). Meanwhile others make use of strong acoustic reflection from one end of a crystal to create resonance for soundwave transmission.
Some AOMs use suspended acoustic resonators – in which acoustic waves are contained between two open slits – to increase modulation efficiency, but these devices are complex and difficult to fabricate, and do not lend themselves well for heterogeneous integration with optical waveguides.
Recently, a novel approach has been proposed to increase acoustic-optic modulation efficiency in thin-film lithium niobate (LN) resonator cavities by heterogeneously integrating optical waveguides made of chalcogenide glass over an LN platform23. This further enhances acoustic-optic interaction.
Although this approach is promising, commercialization still needs further innovation in device design and material platforms to enable simultaneous confinement of both acoustic waves and light on chip. In particular, it is crucial to develop materials which enable surface acoustic waves (SAWs) to be contained within thin films that interfere with guided light waves while offering high energy overlap at wavelength scale.
SAWs are generated using interdigital transducers on the surface of piezoelectric material such as lithium niobate or zinc oxide3. Once assembled, these devices are then attached to an acoustic-optic interaction medium using an efficient cold-weld metallic bonding process for bonding. Once complete, these devices can perform various optical switching, filtering, and tuning functions for optical tunable filters.
An Acoustic Optic Modulator (AOM) uses an electrical signal to create sound waves which resonate within crystal or glass material. When these acoustic waves enter at an ideal angle, they constructively interfere and form a diffracted beam similar to what occurs with Bragg diffraction in X-ray reflections.
AOMs come in many designs and materials. Some employ traveling-wave geometries that enable wide modulation bandwidths by taking advantage of an acoustic wave’s single pass propagation time through crystal regions (e.g. flint glass, lead molybdate). Meanwhile others make use of strong acoustic reflection from one end of a crystal to create resonance for soundwave transmission.
Some AOMs use suspended acoustic resonators – in which acoustic waves are contained between two open slits – to increase modulation efficiency, but these devices are complex and difficult to fabricate, and do not lend themselves well for heterogeneous integration with optical waveguides.
Recently, a novel approach has been proposed to increase acoustic-optic modulation efficiency in thin-film lithium niobate (LN) resonator cavities by heterogeneously integrating optical waveguides made of chalcogenide glass over an LN platform23. This further enhances acoustic-optic interaction.
Although this approach is promising, commercialization still needs further innovation in device design and material platforms to enable simultaneous confinement of both acoustic waves and light on chip. In particular, it is crucial to develop materials which enable surface acoustic waves (SAWs) to be contained within thin films that interfere with guided light waves while offering high energy overlap at wavelength scale.
SAWs are generated using interdigital transducers on the surface of piezoelectric material such as lithium niobate or zinc oxide3. Once assembled, these devices are then attached to an acoustic-optic interaction medium using an efficient cold-weld metallic bonding process for bonding. Once complete, these devices can perform various optical switching, filtering, and tuning functions for optical tunable filters.
Acoustic optical filters
Acoustic optical filters are a type of optical filter that utilizes the acoustic interaction within an acoustical crystal to modify light beams. Acoustic optical filters have many applications, including spectroscopic imaging and communication systems.
They operate via either a collinear or noncollinear mechanism, depending on their design parameters. For example, collinear acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTF) typically use an anisotropic quartz crystal and piezoelectric transducer to generate an alternating high frequency vibrational acoustic wave that periodically redistributes its refractive index; this causes light rays to be diverted diffractionally into first order beams.
Tellurium dioxide (TeO2) crystals have proven ideal for use with AOTFs due to their excellent diffraction efficiency and readily available long single crystals.
Improve the diffraction efficiency of acousto-optic filters by selecting an optimal length l for the acoustic wave that interacts with an acoustical crystal, so as not to attenuate too greatly and increase diffraction efficiency and resolving power.
These acoustic-optic filters also can be electronically tuned using an acousto-optical modulator, enabling acoustic wavelengths to be rapidly switched between them for use in spectroscopic analysis and fast optical signal processing in communications systems.
Filters that filter acousto-optic waves typically feature bulk devices with an insertion loss of approximately 3dB; there are also compact fiber-coupled versions. Furthermore, integrated devices which incorporate one or more acousto-optic modulators on one chip may be possible as well.
Acoustic-optic technology can enhance several aspects of optical communications systems, including speed and reliability. Furthermore, it can also be used to suppress unwanted background radiation from optical beams; for instance, to lower energy from an acoustic wave produced in lidar lasers.
Acoustic-optic technology can also be utilized to upgrade interventional medical probes with increased sensitivity for ultrasound or fluorescence probes, for example.
They operate via either a collinear or noncollinear mechanism, depending on their design parameters. For example, collinear acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTF) typically use an anisotropic quartz crystal and piezoelectric transducer to generate an alternating high frequency vibrational acoustic wave that periodically redistributes its refractive index; this causes light rays to be diverted diffractionally into first order beams.
Tellurium dioxide (TeO2) crystals have proven ideal for use with AOTFs due to their excellent diffraction efficiency and readily available long single crystals.
Improve the diffraction efficiency of acousto-optic filters by selecting an optimal length l for the acoustic wave that interacts with an acoustical crystal, so as not to attenuate too greatly and increase diffraction efficiency and resolving power.
These acoustic-optic filters also can be electronically tuned using an acousto-optical modulator, enabling acoustic wavelengths to be rapidly switched between them for use in spectroscopic analysis and fast optical signal processing in communications systems.
Filters that filter acousto-optic waves typically feature bulk devices with an insertion loss of approximately 3dB; there are also compact fiber-coupled versions. Furthermore, integrated devices which incorporate one or more acousto-optic modulators on one chip may be possible as well.
Acoustic-optic technology can enhance several aspects of optical communications systems, including speed and reliability. Furthermore, it can also be used to suppress unwanted background radiation from optical beams; for instance, to lower energy from an acoustic wave produced in lidar lasers.
Acoustic-optic technology can also be utilized to upgrade interventional medical probes with increased sensitivity for ultrasound or fluorescence probes, for example.
Acoustic optical switches
An acousto-optic switch is a device that uses sound waves to shift and diffuse light at specific frequencies, or modulate signal modulation for quality switching in lasers, telecommunications signal modulation, or frequency control in spectroscopy. Such switches have many applications; laser quality switching, signal modulation for telecom and frequency control applications as well as frequency regulation are some uses of them.
These devices can be made with various materials, including silica glass (SiO2), tellurium dioxide TeO2) and gallium phosphide – materials with high sensitivity to the acousto-optic effects that make them suitable as acoustic switches.
Acousto-optic acoustic switches can switch optical signals at very fast speeds, but are limited by diffraction losses which restrict them to about one million switches per second, which still represents an impressive feat.
An acousto-optic switch typically involves an array of fiber Bragg gratings equipped with piezoelectric transducers that are controlled electronically. When radio frequency (RF) signals are sent through these transducers, an acoustic wave travels down each fiber and interacts with its grating, causing it to vibrate.
Additionally, acoustic waves can be controlled using frequency and phase shifts, leading to different modulations levels in index gratings resulting in unique signal outputs.
An acousto-optic device can also be used to create an electro-optic switch by using an acousto-optic filter as its output and coupling this signal with an Rf drive signal of controlled frequency.
These acousto-optic filters can be constructed from various materials, such as silica glass (SiO2) and tellurium dioxide TeO2, and they have the capacity of shifting light frequency at very fast rates.
Alternately, an acousto-optic deflector can be used to change the polarization of light. This makes them useful tools in both optical imaging and laser systems as well as medical applications.
An acousto-optic deflector is an innovative type of optic switch with the potential to outshone traditional optical switches in terms of effectiveness. Not only can these deflectors reduce switching process losses while increasing speed and cutting down power consumption, they may also help improve speed while decreasing consumption costs.
These devices can be made with various materials, including silica glass (SiO2), tellurium dioxide TeO2) and gallium phosphide – materials with high sensitivity to the acousto-optic effects that make them suitable as acoustic switches.
Acousto-optic acoustic switches can switch optical signals at very fast speeds, but are limited by diffraction losses which restrict them to about one million switches per second, which still represents an impressive feat.
An acousto-optic switch typically involves an array of fiber Bragg gratings equipped with piezoelectric transducers that are controlled electronically. When radio frequency (RF) signals are sent through these transducers, an acoustic wave travels down each fiber and interacts with its grating, causing it to vibrate.
Additionally, acoustic waves can be controlled using frequency and phase shifts, leading to different modulations levels in index gratings resulting in unique signal outputs.
An acousto-optic device can also be used to create an electro-optic switch by using an acousto-optic filter as its output and coupling this signal with an Rf drive signal of controlled frequency.
These acousto-optic filters can be constructed from various materials, such as silica glass (SiO2) and tellurium dioxide TeO2, and they have the capacity of shifting light frequency at very fast rates.
Alternately, an acousto-optic deflector can be used to change the polarization of light. This makes them useful tools in both optical imaging and laser systems as well as medical applications.
An acousto-optic deflector is an innovative type of optic switch with the potential to outshone traditional optical switches in terms of effectiveness. Not only can these deflectors reduce switching process losses while increasing speed and cutting down power consumption, they may also help improve speed while decreasing consumption costs.
Acoustic optical deflectors
How Can Acousto-Optic Technology Advance Optical Communication Systems? Optical communications play an essential part of modern communications, and acousto-optic devices provide laser beams of many wavelengths – making them useful for tasks like data transmission or range finding applications within telecom.
An AOD or AOM are used to steer laser beams. An AOM allows for direction control of an acoustic wave using an electrical signal; this enables adjustments in diffraction order as well as increased efficiency for any given order.
Diffraction efficiency can be defined as the ratio between diffracted power and incident power; and is generally quite high for first order diffraction orders. However, its maximum throughput may be restricted due to scattering effects.
There are various types of Acoustic Optic Deflectors (AODs). While some AODs use crystals, others utilize piezoelectric materials like lithium niobate which is very sensitive to vibrations allowing for effective deflection and optical trapping applications.
These devices can also be integrated into chip structures, with an acoustic wave produced using metallic electrodes on the chip surface generating the acoustic wave that can then be used as optical filters or switches with adjustable tuning parameters.
Acoustic deflectors can be designed for a range of acoustic frequencies, and the diffraction efficiency remains constant over this range. To allow an acoustic wave to pass through the crystal without resonance issues, select an acousto-optic material that does not resonate with soundwaves when selecting your crystal material.
Another benefit of these designs is that their diffraction process can remain on schedule provided a material capable of resisting acoustic vibration is used – this feature is especially advantageous in cases involving shear waves which typically have slow velocities.
Controlling diffraction efficiency can be achieved using an RF driver with variable frequency, typically implemented as part of an acousto-optic device that can be moved on a rotating base for precise adjustment. By doing so, the diffraction efficiency can be varied over a large frequency range with relatively little voltage consumption while output beam direction can remain steady over time – providing useful applications across a broad spectrum.
An AOD or AOM are used to steer laser beams. An AOM allows for direction control of an acoustic wave using an electrical signal; this enables adjustments in diffraction order as well as increased efficiency for any given order.
Diffraction efficiency can be defined as the ratio between diffracted power and incident power; and is generally quite high for first order diffraction orders. However, its maximum throughput may be restricted due to scattering effects.
There are various types of Acoustic Optic Deflectors (AODs). While some AODs use crystals, others utilize piezoelectric materials like lithium niobate which is very sensitive to vibrations allowing for effective deflection and optical trapping applications.
These devices can also be integrated into chip structures, with an acoustic wave produced using metallic electrodes on the chip surface generating the acoustic wave that can then be used as optical filters or switches with adjustable tuning parameters.
Acoustic deflectors can be designed for a range of acoustic frequencies, and the diffraction efficiency remains constant over this range. To allow an acoustic wave to pass through the crystal without resonance issues, select an acousto-optic material that does not resonate with soundwaves when selecting your crystal material.
Another benefit of these designs is that their diffraction process can remain on schedule provided a material capable of resisting acoustic vibration is used – this feature is especially advantageous in cases involving shear waves which typically have slow velocities.
Controlling diffraction efficiency can be achieved using an RF driver with variable frequency, typically implemented as part of an acousto-optic device that can be moved on a rotating base for precise adjustment. By doing so, the diffraction efficiency can be varied over a large frequency range with relatively little voltage consumption while output beam direction can remain steady over time – providing useful applications across a broad spectrum.
