Acousto-optic modulation

SK2402 / FSK3403
 Outline
• Acousto-optic effect
• Definitions
• Tensorial properties
• Strain
• Refractive index change
• Bragg diffraction
• Particle scattering picture

• Acousto-optic grating
• (AO Modulator)
• Bragg diffraction of optical beams
• Diffraction from a thin grating
• Raman-Nath diffraction
 Acousto-optic effect – definitions
Rely on a piezo-electric
- Also called Photoelastic effect substrate to generate an
acoustic wave

- A periodic time-dependent mechanical strain à

à caused by an acoustic wave propagating in the optical medium à
à induces periodic time-dependent variations in the optical
properties of the medium.

- Piezo-electricity: a deformation of the medium causes a charge

separation (à Voltage). OR viceversa:
- Reverse piezo-electric effect: the application of an esternal voltage casues a
deformation
 Acousto-optic effect – definitions
Non-centrosymmetric material:
Reverse the voltage
à reverse strain:

Example: V à expansion
-V à compression

- Intuitive explanation: in a gas medium the change in density (number of particles per
unit volume) leads to a change in n.
A similar phenomenon takes place in solids.

- The photoelastic effect couples the mechanical strain (causing the change in density) to
the optical index of refraction
Generating an acoustic wave
Piezoelectric substrate,
non-centrosymmetric
V+ ++++++++++++++++++++++++

----------------------- V-
++++++++++++++++++++++++

-----------------------

Create an acoustic wave!

Speed: up to ~ MHz – 10GHz

~
 Tensorial properties – Strain

- Mechanical strain: where ui = dispalcement

and xi = position

Longitudinal waves Transversal waves

𝑢! 𝑧, 𝑡 = 𝐴 𝑧̂ cos (Ω𝑡 − 𝑘𝑧) 𝑢" 𝑧, 𝑡 = 𝐴 𝑥0 cos (Ω𝑡 − 𝑘𝑧)
Propagation along z Propagation along z
Compression/expansion along z “Oscillation” along x

- Change in the refractive index in anisotropic medium:

 (Refractive index change due to photoelastic
effect in anisotropic medium – ellipsoid)

The tensor for the photoelastic effect (pijkl) is

characterized by one dimension more than
the one for EO.

Therefore the expression of the ellipsoid gets

(even) more complicated.

Take home message: AO effect can cause

stretching/compression AND rotation of the
index ellipsoid just like the EO effect.

(Check Yariv if interested in the details)

Where the contracted indices are used:

1 à xx, 2 à yy; 3 à zz; 4 à xz; 5 à yz; 6 à xy

 Bragg diffraction
Velocity of sound << c/n à the grating is “quasi-static”.

𝜃#$% = 𝜃!"
𝜃!"

Λ!
Λ-

Path different = 𝟐Λ cos(𝜃!" )

&'
Phase difference between the two beams: Δ𝜙 = 𝑛) 2Λ* cos(𝜃!" )
(
Pressure wave
Δ𝑛) cos(Ω𝑡 − 𝐾𝑧) (
Look for Δ𝜙 = 2𝜋 𝑚 (m=1 Bragg diffraction ) à cos 𝜃!" = = sin(𝜃)
𝛫 = 𝐾! = 2𝜋/Λ " &+! ,"
 Particle scattering picture
Energy conservation:
𝜔# / / /
.% 𝜔 # .% 𝜔#.% = 𝜔#.% ± Ω Ω ≪ 𝜔#.% à |𝑘#.% |~ |𝑘#.% |

The change in color is large enough to be measured.

But the change in momentum affects mostly the direction,
not the magnitude of k.
Ω
𝜃 = 𝜃0 = 𝜃& ~ 0 … small angles…

Momentum conservation:
2#
/
/
𝑘#.% = 𝑘#.% + 𝐾1 &
= 𝑘 sin 𝜃
𝑘 # .%
𝜃& 𝐾1 &' &'
𝑘 cos 𝜃0 = 𝑘 cos 𝜃& = 2𝑛) sin 𝜃
𝜃0 &+# ($%&
𝑘#
.%
(
Notice that in the former slide we = sin(𝜃)
&+! ,"
were already assuming 𝜃0 = 𝜃& = 𝜃
 From Yariv

Slide 9
 (Bragg grating)
• At each interface à Reflection (Fresnels…)

• Choosing the proper period (Λ) this behaves

like a dielectric mirror for specific
frequencies.
Ein Eout
• Model the problem with:
= transmitted • TMM
Ereflected • CMT, using ∆n (corresponding to ∆𝜖) as
perturbation
n1 n2
• (Note that in general E may impinge at an
Λ
angle on the grating)

TMM CMT
N

N=
number
of periods = +
n1 n2 n1 n2 n1 ∆n
 AO grating
𝑛/ 𝑧, 𝑡 = 𝑛 − Δ𝑛) cos(Ω𝑡 − 𝐾𝑧)

p à photoelastic constant
(phenomenological, adimensional)
D F( G) n à unperturbed refractive index
Δ𝑛C = E HI*+ J
𝐼
𝜚 à density of the material
𝑣 3 à speed of sound
0
𝐼1 = 𝜚𝑣13 𝑆)& S0 à Strain amplitude (see Slide 6)
&

Λ-

e c ted
l & Peak reflectance the AO grating can provide.
Ref 𝑅.456 =
𝜋& 𝐿
Δ𝑛)&
𝜆 sin 𝜃
Notice: this is a linearization.
R No depletion assumption;
max(R) = 1
See also Saleh, Chapter 19

Δ𝑛) cos(Ω𝑡 − 𝐾𝑧)

Is R = R(Is) à tuning Is we can make a modulator
 Bragg diffraction of optical beams
In the former slides:
Bragg scattering of an optical plane wave by a sound plane wave.

𝛿𝜃 𝜆
𝛿𝜃 = 𝐶
𝐷
𝜃 𝜃
Gaussian beam: 𝐶 ~ 0.64 /
Circular beam: 𝐶 ~ 1.22 𝑘 # .%
𝜃& 𝐾1
Qualitatively speaking: 𝑘# 𝜃0
.%
- Optical wave: has many
- Optical beam (Diameter D) wavevectors 𝒌(𝜽)
- Acoustic plane wave
- Acoustic wave: described
Finite dimension of the beam à angle of divergence by one wavevector only: 𝑲
 Bragg diffraction of optical beams / 2
In the former slides:
Bragg scattering of an optical plane wave by a sound plane wave.

𝛿𝜃 𝛿𝜃 𝜆
𝛿𝜃 = 𝐶
𝐷
𝜃 𝜃
Gaussian beam: 𝐶 ~ 0.64
Circular beam: 𝐶 ~ 1.22
𝛿𝜃1
Λ-
𝛿𝜃1 =
𝐷1
- Optical beam (Diameter D)
- Acoustic Beam (𝛿𝜃1 ) à consider many wavevectors for i.e. assume that the
the acoustic beam as well… constant C is 1 for the
acoustic beam
Finite dimension of the beam à angle of divergence
Diffraction from a thin grating
A thin (AO) grating will behave like traditional
diffraction grating and lead to the presence
7 (/" (/" of numerous diffraction orders
sin = à 𝜃~
& &+' +
Order +2

𝜃 Order +1

This 𝜃 is twice the 𝜃

angle that so far we Order zero
have been calling theta −𝜃
Order -1
𝜃
e d , kr −𝜃
l e ct
Ref
−𝜃 𝜃 Order -2

Ref −𝜃
le c AO interaction of light with a thin perpendicular
ted
,k AO beam is called Raman-Nath scattering
r’