Enhanced anisotropy in Paratellurite for inhomogeneous waves and its possible importance in the future development of acousto-optic devices

The anisotropic feature of most crystals, involves a direction dependent wave velocity for each of the possible modes. Paratellurite (Tellurium dioxide) is extraordinary because, for one of the propagation modes, i.e. the quasi shear horizontal (QSH) mode, the anisotropy is exceptional. This results, on the one hand in a very strong directional dependent sound velocity and on the other hand, in a low wave velocity in certain directions, resulting in a high figure of merit for the acousto-optical interaction. In the case of inhomogeneous waves, the slowness surfaces change their shape and magnitude, for all crystals. However, for paratellurite, this effect is again extraordinary. As soon as a relatively small inhomogeneity is considered, the sound velocity for the QSH mode becomes really exceptionally anisotropic, resulting in a slowness surface that is almost spherical, covered by pins. The velocity corresponding to those 'pins', is much lower than in the case of homogeneous plane waves, which is very promising for the future development of acousto-optic cells involving an even higher figure of merit.