公开(公告)号：US3898585A

公开(公告)日：1975-08-05

申请号：US43292674

申请日：1974-01-14

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： HEIDRICH PAUL F ,  ZORY JR PETER STEPHEN

IPC: G02B6/34 ,  G02B6/124 ,  G02F1/295 ,  H01S3/02 ,  H01S3/063 ,  H01S3/101 ,  H01S3/20 ,  H01S3/00

CPC classification number: H01S3/0635 ,  G02B6/124 ,  G02F1/2955 ,  G02F2201/302 ,  H01S3/022 ,  H01S3/20

Abstract: Diffracted leaky optical waves are coupled out of a thin film optical waveguide device having one surface which is periodically thickness-modulated or corrugated to form an optical diffraction grating. The waveguide device is constructed such that the average thickness of the waveguide in the complex refractive index of the waveguide or one of the layers surrounding the waveguide is varied when an external power source applied to the device is varied and thereby, a parameter of the leaky wave in accordance with the variable power source. In one embodiment, the waveguide is made of light amplifying material which is suitably excited to produce lasing action and cause an optical wave to propagate in the waveguide. The variable parameter in this case is the wavelength of the leaky wave, and the leaky wave is always normal to the plane of the diffraction grating. Consequently, a tunable laser is provided. In a second embodiment, no lasing occurs, but instead, an external light source is used to cause an optical wave to propagate in the waveguide. The parameter which is varied is the angle between the leaky wave and the normal to the diffraction grating, the wavelength of the leaky wave remaining constant.

Abstract translation: 衍射泄漏的光波从具有周期性厚度调制或波纹状的一个表面的薄膜光波导器件耦合，以形成光学衍射光栅。 波导器件被构造成使得当施加到器件的外部电源变化时波导的平均厚度在波导的复合折射率或围绕波导的一个层之间变化，并且因此，泄漏的参数 按照可变电源波。 在一个实施例中，波导由光放大材料制成，其被适当地激发以产生激光作用并且使光波在波导中传播。 这种情况下的可变参数是泄漏波的波长，漏波总是垂直于衍射光栅的平面。 因此，提供可调谐激光器。 在第二实施例中，不发生激光，而是使用外部光源使光波在波导中传播。 变化的参数是漏波与衍射光栅的法线之间的角度，漏波的波长保持不变。