Patent ID: 6055342
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
An integrated optical intensity modulator comprising:a substrate having a spontaneous polarization in a spontaneous polarization direction relative to the substrate, the substrate extending in a direction transverse to the spontaneous polarization direction along a longitudinal axis;an optical waveguide in the substrate at a surface of the substrate and extending substantially parallel to and on the longitudinal axis;a plurality of domain-inversion regions in the substrate having domains with a polarization in a direction reverse to the spontaneous polarization direction of the substrate, the domain-inversion regions being transverse to, extending to but not crossing the longitudinal axis, and arranged in a staggered pattern relative to the optical waveguide so that, along each side of the longitudinal axis and on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, domain-inversion regions alternate with regions having a polarization in the spontaneous polarization direction; anda first electrode on the optical waveguide and second and third electrodes on the surface of the substrate, spaced from and on opposite sides of the optical waveguide, wherein when a voltage is applied to the first electrode relative to the second and third electrodes, a light wave propagating in the waveguide is deflected and scattered in the domain-inversion regions in accordance with changes of refractive index of the domain-inversion regions opposite the optical waveguide in response to the voltage relative to the refractive index of the spontaneous polarization regions opposite the optical waveguide.