Theoretical analysis of bragg electrostrictive mixing in optical waveguides

A theoretical analysis of electrostrictive mixing in optical waveguides using the power balance approach is presented. The high optical power densities attainable in optical waveguides provide a means to make this effect appreciable to generate acoustic surface waves of the Rayleigh type. The tensor property of the acoustic wave and the transverse field distributions of the optical and acoustic waves are included in the analysis. Numerical calculation for a tellurite glass, fused quartz waveguide structure indicates a possibility for cw operation.     

Nonlinear optical diffraction by standing acoustic waves in a GaAs film

Second-order nonlinear optical diffraction by standing acoustic waves in a crystalline plate is theoretically investigated. A detailed analysis of the polarization state of the second-harmonic light diffracted by both longitudinal and transversal acoustic waves is carried out. It is shown that longitudinal standing acoustic waves only allow p-polarized nonlinear optical diffraction, irrespective of the incoming state of polarization, whereas transversal standing acoustic waves allow all possible combinations of incoming and diffracted polarization states. Numerical estimates of the relative intensities of nonlinearly diffracted radiation peaks are made for a GaAs plate.     

Long-range interaction of picosecond solitons through excitation of acoustic waves in optical fibers

We present the theory of electrostrictional interaction of soliton pulses in optical fibers. Solitons excite acoustic waves propagating in the direction transverse to the fiber axis. Scattering of optical radiation on these waves leads to a timing jitter of the optical pulses arrival time. We consider this effect as nonlinear self-scattering of light on acoustic waves. Because of the fact that a value of acoustic lifetime can reach a value of about 100 ns self-scattering on acoustic waves can be observed for a single optical pulse as well as for an optical pulse sequence as a whole. The value of single soliton self-frequency shift due to excitation of acoustic waves as a function of soliton duration have been obtained. For soliton duration _sol > 14 ps an acoustic wave soliton self-frequency shift is larger than the Raman soliton self-frequency shift.The obtained theoretical results describe well the long-range interaction of soliton pulse trains in an optical fiber. The value of bit error rate due to electrostrictional interaction of optical pulses in high bit rate, ultra long soliton communication systems have been obtained.     

The influence of boundary layer on sound propagation in optical fibers

Physical models of two-layered and three-layered fiber were built. These models were used to calculate acoustic properties of optical fibers. Acoustic properties of fibers with boundary layer and without boundary layer calculated from these model were compared. The propagation of acoustic cylindrical symmetric waves in optical fibers was considered. This problem was treated analytically and numerically in continual approximation. The possibility of simultaneous propagation of two cylindrical symmetric waves in optical fibers with a boundary layer was shown (in a three-layered model). The physical phenomenon of the presence of two waves in the fiber with boundary layer is proposed for study of the boundary layer. Formulas for the calculation of the properties of the boundary layer from the acoustic experiment, verified by numerical calculations, are represented.     

Gigahertz modulators using bulk acousto-optic interactions in thin-film waveguides

When bulk acoustic waves are applied to an optical waveguide, several modulation effects are observed, depending on the type of wave (longitudinal or shear). Longitudinal sound waves frequency-shift the guided light, thus providing a means of modulating light in a wide variety of waveguide materials. Using thin-film mosaic acoustic transducer technology, we have demonstrated such modulation at frequencies in the gigahertz region. By segmenting the acoustic transducer electrodes, the same arrangement can be used for deflecting the light since, with this arrangement, the acoustic field sets up a time-varying grating whose spatial frequency is set by the segment spacing. Theoretical frequency limitations on these devices do not appear to be important until approximately 30 GHz is reached. Thus, they are potentially useful for extremely wide-band data links. Experiments at 1.5 GHz show 30% bandwidth of acoustic modulation using optical heterodyne detection.     

All-optical probing of the nonlinear acoustics of a crack

Experiments with an all-optical method for the study of the nonlinear acoustics of cracks in solids are reported. Nonlinear acoustic waves are initiated by the absorption of radiation from a pair of laser beams intensity modulated at two different frequencies. The detection of acoustic waves at mixed frequencies, absent in the frequency spectrum of the heating lasers, by optical interferometry or deflectometry provides unambiguous evidence of the elastic nonlinearity of the crack. The high contrast in crack imaging achieved by remote optical monitoring of the nonlinear acoustic processes is due to the strong dependence of the efficiency of optoacoustic conversion on the state of the crack. The highest acoustic nonlinearity is observed in the transitional state of the crack, which is intermediate between the open and the closed ones.     

Acoustic properties of proton exchanged LiNbO3 investigated by Brillouin scattering

The propagation of surface acoustic waves at microwave frequencies (10¹⁰ Hz) was studied on proton exchanged LiNbO₃ crystals by means of Brillouin scattering. The proton exchange causes a large velocity reduction for surface acoustic waves propagating in the x–y plane of ay-cut crystal as well as for longitudinal bulk acoustic waves travelling in the proton exchanged sub-surface region. The velocity reduction amounts to about 20% for both types of waves. The corresponding elastic constants are reduced even by about 40% since the density remains almost constant. This softening seems to involve both the shear and compressional elastic constants, but in an anisotropic way.Thus by proton exchange it is possible to build acoustic waveguides adjacent to the surface, similar to the construction of optical waveguides. By a lateral control of the proton exchange rate optical elements for ultrasonic waves, for example, acoustic lenses can be produced without deformation of the flat surface.The absorption of surface acoustic waves on proton exchanged surfaces is stronger than on pure LiNbO₃ indicating a novel absorption mechanism becoming active in the proton exchanged material.     

Gigahertz modulators using bulk acousto-optic interactions in thin-film waveguides

Abstract

When bulk acoustic waves are applied to an optical waveguide, several modulation effects are observed, depending on the type of wave (longitudinal or shear). Longitudinal sound waves frequency-shift the guided light, thus providing a means of modulating light in a wide variety of waveguide materials. Using thin-film mosaic acoustic transducer technology, we have demonstrated such modulation at frequencies in the gigahertz region. By segmenting the acoustic transducer electrodes, the same arrangement can be used for deflecting the light since, with this arrangement, the acoustic field sets up a time-varying grating whose spatial frequency is set by the segment spacing. Theoretical frequency limitations on these devices do not appear to be important until approximately 30 GHz is reached. Thus, they are potentially useful for extremely wide-band data links. Experiments at 1.5 GHz show 30% bandwidth of acoustic modulation using optical heterodyne detection.     

Visual characteristics of inhomogeneous acoustic waves

Experimentally obtained visualizations of propagating inhomogeneous acoustic waves driven by zero-order antisymmetric Lamb waves (flexural waves) in water are presented. The inhomogeneous waves are visualized by optical holographic interferometry. A series of photographs show the evolution in time of instantaneous acoustic pressure distributions associated with propagating inhomogeneous waves. The photographs reveal characteristic features of flexurally driven inhomogeneous waves such as transversely attenuated wavefronts oriented perpendicularly to the plate boundary and a phase propagation velocity along the boundary approximately equal to the plate wave velocity (250 meters/second). Effects due to the dispersive nature of the flexural plate waves are also noted in the photographic series. Features distinguishing these subsonic, inhomogeneous surface waves (also called trapped or evanescent waves) from the leaky, lateral or head wave and also from incompressible fluid motions associated with low frequency vibrations of fluid loaded plates are identified. The relevance of inhomogeneous acoustic waves driven by subsonic flexural waves to practical sound-structure interaction problems is discussed.     

用阴影法观察水声模型的声场

我们建立了一套用于显示模拟海底反射声场的光学系统。实验水声模型是由水-玻璃粉-玻璃-铝组成的三层模拟海底结构,声源是一个管状换能器,其轴线平行于分界面。实验用这套系统记录了从水下三个界面反射的六组波的声场图像。并且分辨出了它们各自的传播路径。从声场图像也可以得出水-玻璃粉界面、玻璃粉-玻璃界面的面波声速,玻璃粉和玻璃中的体波声速以及它们的厚度,结果与预先测出的参数符合。     

Determination of the material properties of microstructures by laser based ultrasound

In most applications of MEMS the mechanical properties of the used materials are key parameters for the perfect working of the microsystems. Measuring bulk acoustic waves excited in MEMS structures with ultra-short laser pulses is a powerful method for the accurate and non-destructive evaluation as well as for the characterization of material properties. The pump-probe laser-based acoustic method generates bulk acoustic waves in a thermo-elastic way by absorbing the pump laser pulses. The acoustic waves are partly reflected at any discontinuity of the acoustic impedance. At the surface of the specimen the reflected acoustic pulses cause changes of the optical reflection coefficient, which are measured with the probe laser pulses. Thin membranes are part of numerous microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) like sensors, activators and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters for example. The described non-destructive and non-contact method is the right approach for testing such thin and brittle structures like membranes. Results of measurements on freestanding aluminium-silicon nitride multi-layer membranes with total thicknesses in the order of several hundred nanometers are presented and compared with thermo-elastic models and with measurements of the supported case. The measured results are used for the determination of the moduli of the membranes.     

原子质量对一维三原子链色散关系的影响

本文采用数值分析方法研究原胞中原子质量对一维三原子链色散关系的影响,建立了频谱宽度和频率禁带宽度随原子质量变化的基本规律.结果表明,在原胞内只有一个原子质量发生变化的情况下,声学波频谱宽度随任一原子质量的增加而减小,光学波的频谱宽度随小原子质量的增加而增大,随大原子质量的增加而减小;两个频率禁带均随小原子质量的增加而变...     

Measurement of the frequency response induced by electrostriction in optical fibers

Accurate measurements of the frequency response of the nonlinear refractive index induced by the combined effects of Kerr nonlinearity with electrostrictional excitation of acoustic waves in optical fibers are presented. A detailed experimental investigation of both standard (zero-dispersion wavelength,lambda(0) approximately 1.31microm) and dispersion-shifted (lambda(0)=1.55microm) single-mode fibers showed the presence of several resonant peaks induced by the electrostrictive nonlinearity in the fiber structure. This investigation has provided better insight into the frequency behavior of the electrostriction-induced acoustic waves in optical fibers.     

Generation and detection of nano ultrasound waves with a multiple strained layer structure

In this paper a multiple strained layer structure with multiple quantum wells as a piezoelectric transducer is proposed for generating and detecting nano ultrasound waves with nanometer wavelength and tera hertz frequency. By inducing femtosecond optical pulses at this strained structure, internal piezoelectric field is changed. As a result longitudinal acoustic phonon oscillations can be treated as nano acoustic waves. It could be noticed in simulated cases that detection of nano ultrasound waves can be used in non destructive testing and high accuracy measurements with this structure. It is also shown that the MQW structure design how influences in generated nano acoustic waves.     

Ferroelectric and magnetic media with nanoscale regular domain structures

The formation and physical characteristics of irregular nano- and microscale domain structures were studied in ferroelectric and magnetic perovskite metal oxides. Their nonlinear optical, magnetic and elastic characteristics were established. The prospects for their application in the frequency and mode transformation of optical and acoustic waves are examined.     

Vector solitons in the dynamics of anharmonic monatomic lattices

It is shown that three types of solitary acoustic waves can develop in anharmonic crystal lattices corresponding to the three branches of acoustic phonons. A system of three nonlinear Schrödinger equations is derived to describe this situation. For greatly different group velocities, the interaction between solitons reduces collisions between them. When the group velocities of the different acoustic modes in a lattice are close to one another, bound states of the corresponding types of solitary waves occur. Bound states of this sort are vector solitons, whose polarization varies along the pulse. If the transverse acoustic modes are degenerate in velocity, the situation is extremely similar to the propagation of pulses in optical fibers.     

Dispersion relation for two-dimensional simple cubic lattices

The linear wave equation for the simple cubic lattice is given in this paper. The dispersion relations of both longitudinal and transverse waves are given analytically for the acoustic mode and the optical mode, respectively.     

Increase in the efficiency of the shear wave generation in gelatin due to the nonlinear absorption of a focused ultrasonic beam

Experimental results and theoretical estimates are presented to demonstrate the prospects of using the acoustic nonlinearity of a gel-like medium for increasing the efficiency of the shear wave generation in it by a pulsed ultrasonic beam. The experiment is based on the propagation of a focused beam of longitudinal acoustic waves at a frequency of 1.1 MHz in a gelatin sample and on the detection of shear waves by the optical method [1]. It is demonstrated that the amplitude of the shear wave excited by a nonlinear acoustic pulse can be increased by an order of magnitude owing to the formation of shock fronts in the profile of this pulse.     

Soliton microdynamics and thermal conductivity of uranium nitride at high temperatures

The microdynamics of soliton waves and localized modes of nonlinear vibrations of the acoustic and optical types in uranium nitride has been investigated. It has been shown that, with an increase in the excitation energy in the spectral gap between the bands of optical and acoustic phonons, the energies of solitons increase, whereas the energies of local modes decrease. The previously experimentally observed unidentified quasi-resonant features, which shift in the gap with variations in the temperature, can represent the revealed soliton waves and local modes. The microdynamics of heat conduction of uranium nitride has been studied for the stochastic generation of soliton waves and local modes in the case of spatially distant energy absorption. The thermal conductivity coefficient determined from the temperature gradient and the absorbed energy flux insignificantly exceeds the experimentally observed values, which are decreased because of the presence of structural defects of different types in the material.     

Making structured metals transparent for ultrabroadband electromagnetic waves and acoustic waves

In this review, we present our recent work on making structured metals transparent for broadband electromagnetic waves and acoustic waves via excitation of surface waves. First, we theoretically show that one-dimensional metallic gratings can become transparent and completely antireflective for extremely broadband electromagnetic waves by relying on surface plasmons or spoof surface plasmons. Second, we experimentally demonstrate that metallic gratings with narrow slits are highly transparent for broadband terahertz waves at oblique incidence and high transmission efficiency is insensitive to the metal thickness. Further, we significantly develop oblique metal gratings transparent for broadband electromagnetic waves (including optical waves and terahertz ones) under normal incidence. In the third, we find the principles of broadband transparency for structured metals can be extended from one-dimensional metallic gratings to two-dimensional cases. Moreover, similar phenomena are found in sonic artificially metallic structures, which present the transparency for broadband acoustic waves. These investigations provide guidelines to develop many novel materials and devices, such as transparent conducting panels, antireflective solar cells, and other broadband metamaterials and stealth technologies.