| Electro-optic (EO) beam deflectors are voltage-controlled devices widely used for scanning and switching applications. For example, high-speed, low-loss optical switches aimed at future optical networks can be built on EO deflectors. Novel EO deflectors distinguish themselves with a much-improved steering performance, high-speed response and simple fabrication requirements. Patterned ferroelectric crystals such as LiTaO3 are first poled to provide the required prism shaped domain structures. The application of an electrical field across the entire crystal can then be used to drive the trajectory of the beam as it travels through the poled wafer. The electric field induces an index change of opposite magnitude on the adjacent domain regions in the EO device, causing the optical beam to refract at the interfaces.; Although rectangular geometry is extensively employed in EO devices, nonrectangular scanners have demonstrated better deflection performance. Two new nonrectangular geometries capable of further enhancing the deflection performance of EO beam scanners, proposed in this dissertation, were constructed. Their parabola and half-horn geometries provide 2-3 degrees of steering, which is 2-3 times greater than the steering provided by rectangular deflectors.; EO deflectors based on the parabola and the half-horn geometries, which can provide larger deflection angles, were built. These devices demonstrated a deflection angle of 3.1°, less than 5 dB of insertion loss from fiber to fiber, and -40 dB of crosstalk.; Two packaged optical switches using rectangular EO deflectors were demonstrated. By combining these EO deflectors with fiber collimators and high voltage packaging, high speed optical switches were built and characterized. The switch design was based on a 500mum z-cut LiTaO3 single crystal wafer fabricated using the domain inversion method. The 1x2 switch had a maximum deflection angle of 1.22° with an applied voltage of 1.1 kV and the 1x4 switch had a maximum deviation angle of 2.14°, with an applied voltage of 1 kV. The average insertion loss and crosstalk figures were 2.36 dB and -36 dB, respectively. The worst case switching time was 86 ns. |
