Acousto-optic device having wide diffraction angle, optical scanner, light modulator, and display apparatus using the acousto-optic device

摘要

An acousto-optic device having a wide range of diffraction angle and an optical scanner, a light modulator, and a display apparatus using the acousto-optic device are provided. The acousto-optic device includes a core layer having a periodic photonic crystal structure in which unit cells of predetermined patterns are repeated, a first clad layer on a first surface of the core layer, the first clad layer having a refractive index that is different from a refractive index of the core layer, a second clad layer on a second surface of the core layer, the second surface being opposite the first surface, the second clad layer having a refractive index that is different from the refractive index of the core layer, and a sound wave generator configured to apply surface acoustic waves (SAW) to the core layer, the first clad layer, the second clad layer, or any combination thereof.

主权项

1. An acousto-optic device, comprising: a core layer having a periodic photonic crystal structure in which unit cells of predetermined patterns are repeated to generate different refractive index distributions upon application of an acoustic wave; a first clad layer on a first surface of the core layer, the first clad layer having a refractive index that is different from a refractive index of the core layer; and a sound wave generator configured to apply surface acoustic waves (SAW) to at least one of the core layer and the first clad layer, wherein the core layer and the first clad layer to which the SAW are applied includes an acousto-optic material, wherein the core layer has an anisotropic refractive index distribution of a polygonal shape, in which refractive indices toward its vertexes are different from refractive indices toward an intermediate portion of sides of the refractive index distribution.