Toward efficient light diffraction and intensity variations by using wide bandwidth surface acoustic wave

摘要

We have developed acoustic-optic (AO) based display units for implementing a handheld hologram display by modulating light deflection through wide bandwidth surface acoustic wave (SAW). The developed AO device consists of a metal layer, a ZnS waveguide layer, SAW inter digital transducers (IDTs), and a screen for display. When RF power with a particular resonant frequency was applied to IDTs, SAW was radiated and interfered with confined beam propagating along ZnS waveguide layer. The AO interacted beam was deflected laterally toward a certain direction depending on Bragg diffraction condition, exited out of the waveguide layer and then directed to the viewing screen placed at a certain distance from the device to form a single pixel. The deflected angles was adjusted by modulating the center frequency of the SAW IDT (SAW grating), the RF power of SAW, and the angles between propagating light beam path along waveguide and radiating SAW. The diffraction efficiency was also characterized in terms of waveguide thickness, SAW RF input power, and aperture length. Coupling of mode (COM) modeling was fulfilled to find optimal device parameters prior to fabrication. All the parameters affecting the deflection angle and efficiency to form a pixel for a three-dimensional (3D) hologram image were characterized and then discussed. (C) 2016 The Japan Society of Applied Physics