| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decrease a voltage applied to an electrode in an optical modulator and to minimize the modulator. SOLUTION: The optical modulator 3 includes: a base part 31 in a planar form made of a material having a variable refractive index depending on an electric field and guiding light incident on an entrance face 313, along a traveling direction parallel to the major face 311 to a counter face 314 in the opposite side; a mirror 36 provided on the counter face 314 and reflecting the incident light to guide along the traveling direction to the entrance face 313; and an electrode 33 having a plurality of electrode elements arranged in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction on the main face 311 of the base part 31. In the optical modulator 3, periodical changes in the refractive index are induced in the arrangement direction in both of a part of the optical path from the entrance face 313 to the counter face 314 and a part of the optical path from the counter face 314 to the entrance face 313, by applying a voltage between electrode elements, and thereby light can be efficiently diffracted. This contributes to minimization of the optical modulator and reduction in a voltage to be applied to electrodes. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT |
