8*8 symmetric nonblocking integrated acoustooptic space switch module on LiNbO/sub 3/

An 8*8 symmetric nonblocking integrated acoustooptic space switch module has been realized on a Y-cut LiNbO/sub 3/ substrate, 1.0*10.0*37.0 mm in size. The switch module consists of a new hybrid beam expanding-collimating lens, a large aperture focusing lens, and a pair of four-element tilted surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducer arrays in a titanium-in-diffused channel-planar-channel composite waveguide. Experimental results of point-to-point nonblocking switching at the optical wavelength of 0.6328 mu m, including an average crosstalk of -12.2 dB, optical switching efficiency of 25% at 125 mW RF drive power, carrier frequency increment of 13.5 MHz for switching between adjacent output channels and reconfiguration time of 0.4 mu s have been obtained.<
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