Multi‐phase‐level electro‐optical beam deflector in combined periodic polarization‐reversed structures with different thickness

Abstract

SUMMARYWe propose an electro-optical beam deflector vertically connecting polarization-reversed structures having different periods and thicknesses. This device is an optical deflector that uses a diffraction grating blazed with multiple-phase levels created by the Pockels effect of the applied electric field. The deflection with respect to the applied electric field that considers the polarization and wavelength of the input light is theoretically analyzed for the LiNbO 3 crystal as the specific medium. We also examine the deflection characteristics due to two stages that connect multiphase-level diffraction gratings having different periods. Consequently, by setting appropriate values for the applied electric field and the medium thickness, we demonstrated the ease in obtaining the wide angle, high diffraction efficiency, low crosstalk, fast response light deflection, polarized light beam splitting, and wavelength demultiplexing.