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Acoustically-tuned integrated-optic filter for many-channel wavelength switching

D.A. Smith, K. W. Cheung, J.E. Baran, and J.J. Johnson

Twenty years ago, Harris introduced the concept of a narrowband, tunable optical filter based on the interaction of light and sound, but the practical use of such devices has been unimpressive until now, largely because the devices were bulky, power hungry, and not very efficient However, by combining the best aspects of integrated optics technology and the methods of surface acoustic wave electronics, we have fabricated sub-nanometer-bandwidth integrated-optic acoutically-tunable optical filters (ATOFs) that are compact, low in power consumption, and electronically-tunable over hundreds of nanometers.