Miniature, narrow band, non-collinear acoustic optical tunable filter for telecom applications

Abstract

This invention includes an Acousto-optical tuning device by employing the TeO2 in share mode, non-collinear and in high RF frequency (or large Bragg's deflection region), it is able to achieve the telecomm worthy tunable filter that provides high tuning speed, no-moving parts, very narrow filter line-width (0.2 nm for instance) and with miniature size practical for a optical telecom active module. This tuning characteristic is achieved by taking the particular advantages that the angle of incidence (AOI) and angle of diffraction (AOD) are divergent in a frequency range just suitable for a shorter wavelength application required by modern telecommunication systems while the acoustic wave decay in this frequency range can be properly managed to achieve the design goals. Furthermore, by generating a diffracted beam with larger AOD, implementation of filtering for optical propagations of different wavelengths can be conveniently selected. Other than the TeO2 crystals, the AOTF can also be formed with AsS3 and GeAsSe crystals based on the same acoustic-optical interaction processes at a higher RF frequency range as discussed in the above descriptions.