Patent ID: 7293463

Claim:
An acoustoelectric converter element for converting an acoustic wave to an electric signal utilizing a light wave, comprising: a frame member having a hollow space, the frame member being formed from a semiconductor substrate having a surface region, the surface region of the semiconductor substrate being removed to form the hollow space in the frame member; a first optical waveguide formed on the frame member, which is formed from an optical waveguide layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, the optical waveguide layer being etched as to form the first optical waveguide; a second optical waveguide arranged in the hollow space, the second optical waveguide being formed from the optical waveguide layer, the optical waveguide layer being etched as to form the second optical waveguide; a diffraction grating formed on the second optical waveguide; supporting members which couple the first optical waveguide to the second optical waveguide and support the diffraction grating and the second optical waveguide in the hollow space so as to vibrate with respect to the acoustic wave, the supporting members being formed from the optical waveguide layer, the optical waveguide layer being etched as to form the supporting members; and a light source which emits a light wave guided to the diffraction grating through the first optical waveguide, one of the supporting members and the second optical waveguide, the diffraction grating diffracting the light wave; and a photo-detector which detects the diffracted light wave.