Acousto-optic Device with Photonic Crystal Core for Wide Diffraction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Natural acousto-optic devices have limited diffraction angle ranges, necessitating additional optical systems that increase size and degrade resolution in applications like optical scanners and light modulators, highlighting the need for enhanced diffraction angle capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The development of acousto-optic devices featuring a core layer with a photonic crystal structure and clad layers, where surface acoustic waves are applied using piezoelectric materials, creating a highly anisotropic refractive index distribution to increase the diffraction angle range, allowing for wider light modulation and deviation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If natural acousto-optic medium is used, then device structure is simple, but diffraction angle range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials by combining photonic crystal structures with acousto-optic media. The photonic crystal layer with periodic dielectric structures is integrated with the acousto-optic medium to create a composite system that leverages both the optical properties of photonic crystals and the acousto-optic effects, thereby expanding the diffraction angle range while maintaining functional simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by modifying the refractive index distribution through photonic crystal structures. By creating periodic variations in dielectric constants and controlling the photonic band gap parameters, the system achieves enhanced optical anisotropy and expanded diffraction angle ranges without significantly complicating the overall device structure
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional optical system is added to compensate for limited diffraction angle, then diffraction angle range is improved, but system size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves expanded diffraction angle ranges through parameter changes in the photonic crystal structure, specifically by controlling the periodicity, dielectric contrast, and photonic band gap characteristics. This internal modification of optical parameters eliminates the need for additional external optical systems that would increase system volume
Solution Approach 2:
By integrating photonic crystal structures directly into the acousto-optic medium, the patent creates a compact composite system that provides enhanced diffraction angle ranges without requiring separate compensation optical systems, thereby maintaining compact system size
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional optical system is added to compensate for limited diffraction angle, then diffraction angle range is improved, but resolution is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains high resolution while expanding diffraction angle ranges by precisely controlling the photonic crystal parameters. The periodic structure with controlled dielectric contrast and the photonic band gap engineering enable sharp diffraction features and high angular selectivity, preserving measurement precision without requiring additional optical components that would degrade resolution
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An acousto-optic device (10) having a wide range of diffraction angles and an optical scanner, a light modulator, and a display apparatus using the acousto-optic device are provided. The acousto-optic device (10) includes a core layer (11) having a periodic photonic crystal structure in which unit cells of predetermined patterns are repeated, a first clad layer (12) on a first surface of the core layer (11), the first clad layer (12) having a refractive index that is different from the refractive index of the core layer, a second clad layer (13) on a second surface of the core layer (11), the second surface being opposite the first surface, the second clad layer (13) having a refractive index that is different from the refractive index of the core layer, and a sound wave generator (14, 15, 16) configured to apply surface acoustic waves (SAW) to the core layer, the first clad layer, the second clad layer, or any combination thereof.