Optical information storing apparatus and method for production of

Abstract

An optical waveguide is comprised of an optical substrate and an optical thin-film optical waveguide layer and formed such that ##EQU1## where .theta. is an output angle, n.sub.o1 is an ordinary refractive index of the optical substrate for an ordinary beam, n.sub.e1 is an extraordinary refractive index of the optical substrate for an extraordinary beam, n.sub.o2 is an ordinary refractive index of the optical thin-film optical waveguide layer for the ordinary beam and n.sub.e2 is an extraordinary refractive index of the optical thin-film optical waveguide layer for the extraordinary beam, and an electrode for generating a surface acoustic wave for diffracting light is formed on the optical waveguide to construct a collinear optical deflector. A method for production of the optical thin-film optical waveguide layer is exemplified wherein a target made of tantalic lilthium niobate or tantalic lithium niobate magnesium and an optical substrate made of lithium tantalate are prepared and an optical thin-film optical waveguide layer having a composition of tantalic lithium niobate or tantalic lithium niobate magnesium is formed on the optical substrate through an ion beam sputtering process into which oxygen can be introduced. Proton substitutes for part of an element constituting the optical thin-film optical waveguide layer.