Abstract

Integrated optical, acoustically tunable wavelength filters are attractive due to their narrowband filter characteristics, large tuning range, low drive power and simultaneous filtering capability. Such wavelength filters can be realized by combining acousto-optical mode converters with polarizers. In the mode converter a surface acoustic wave (SAW) with an appropriately chosen frequency yields a polarization conversion of a guided optical wave of specific wavelength to allow passing the subsequent polarizer. To improve the efficiency of the mode converter, acoustical strip waveguides can be used. We have demonstrated such an integrated optical filter with a tuning range of more than 100 nm and a filter bandwidth of less than 3 nm [1].

© 1992 Optical Society of America