Guided-wave acoustooptic Bragg modulators for wide-band integrated optic communications and signal processing (Invited Paper)

This paper presents a selective review of planar guided-wave acoustooptics, including some of the most recent results. The emphasis is on those aspects which relate to wide-band multichannel optical communications and real-time signal processing. First to be discussed are the analytical and numerical techniques required for the treatment of a Bragg modulator which uses a single aperture SAW transducer. The frequency responses generated for
Y
-cut
LiNbO_3
waveguides using a digital computer serve as the basic data for the design of such a basic modulator. Next the key device parameters relevant to modulation and signal processing are discussed. The design parameters and procedures for wide-band Bragg modulators and deflectors are then established. Finally, some potential applications of such wide-band modulators and deflectors in optical communications and RF signal processing together with the best measured performance figures are described.