Abstract: A device for processing optical data comprising:an optical waveguide formed on a substrate,a light source for the laser beam to be admitted into the waveguide,lens means provided on the waveguide for causing the beam propagating through the waveguide to emerge obliquely upward and focusing the emergent beam two-dimensionally,means for receiving the beam reflected obliquely from above,a base provided with the laser light source, the substrate and the light receiving means,a focusing drive mechanism for adjusting the position of the base upward or downward, anda tracking drive mechanism for adjusting the position of the base laterally.

Abstract: A photo-pickup wherein a light emitting portion, a surface acoustic wave generating portion, a lens portion, a light receiving portion and a control portion are integrally integrated on a base plate formed on its surface with a light transmission path. The light emitting portion propagates a light beam to the light transmission path. The light beam propagating in the light transmission path is first deflected within a plane of the light transmission path by surface acoustic wave propagating on the light transmission path and propagated towards the lens portion. The lens portion is provided to project the light beam outside from the light transmission path and effect two-dimentional focusing of the projected beam and adjustment of focal position. The light receiving portion comprises a combination of a plurality of light receiving elements disposed at suitable intervals from the projected position of the light beam to receive a reflected light of the light beam.

Abstract: A slab-type optical device comprising a pair of single mode waveguides equal in phase constant and intersecting each other each at its one end and a pair of single mode waveguides different in phase constant and intersecting each other each at its one end. The pairs of waveguides are joined to each other at their intersections. The angle of intersection of the two waveguides in each pair is set to such a small value that when light propagates along the waveguide a very small distance, the variation in the spacing between the waveguides is negligible relative to the distance of propagation.

Abstract: A plurality of modulating elements are provided on a substrate to modulate the intensity of input light in dependence upon an applied physical quantity. Intensity-modulated output optical signals from these plural modulating elements propagate in parallel along the substrate. These parallel optical signals are successively diffracted by a pulsed surface acoustic wave, and the diffracted light is then focused. Since parallel optical signals from a plurality of modulating elements can thus be converted into a serial optical signal, the signal can be transmitted by a single optical fiber.

Abstract: A two-dimensional light beam deflector for deflecting a light beam by a first deflector in a direction parallel to the plane of a thin film optical waveguide formed on a substrate, and also for deflecting the light beam, already deflected once by said first deflector, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said thin film optical waveguide by a second deflector.

Abstract: A photo-pickup wherein a light emitting portion, a surface acoustic wave generating portion, a lens portion, a light receiving portion and a control portion are integrally integrated on a base plate formed on its surface with a light transmission path. The light emitting portion propagates a light beam to the light transmission path. The light beam propagating in the light transmission path is first deflected within a plane of the light transmission path by surface acoustic wave propagating on the light transmission path and propagated towards the lens portion. The lens portion is provided to project the light beram outside from the light transmission path and effect two-dimentional focusing of the projected beam and adjustment of focal position. The light receiving portion comprises a combination of a plurality of light receiving elements disposed at suitable intervals from the projected position of the light beam to receive a reflected light of the light beam.

Abstract: A device for processing optical data comprising:an optical waveguide formed on a substrate,a light source for the laser beam to be admitted into the waveguide,lens means provided on the waveguide for causing the beam propagating through the waveguide to emerge obliquely upward and focusing the emergent beam two-dimensionally,means for receiving the beam reflected obliquely from above,a base provided with the laser light source, the substrate and the light receiving means,a focusing drive mechanism for adjusting the position of the base upward or downward, anda tracking drive mechanism for adjusting the position of the base laterally.

Abstract: A slab-type optical device comprising a pair of single mode waveguides equal in phase constant and intersecting each other each at its one end and a pair of single mode waveguides different in phase constant and intersecting each other each at its one end. The pairs of waveguides are joined to each other at their intersections. The angle of intersection of the two waveguides in each pair is set to such a small value that when light propagates along the waveguide a very small distance, the variation in the spacing between the waveguides is negligible relative to the distance of propagation.

Abstract: An optical comparator for comparing, bit by bit, corresponding bits of two optical digital signals which are identical in the number of constituent optical bit signals, includes an optical waveguide layer made of an acousto-optical material. A surface acoustic wave generator generates a surface acoustic wave propagating on the waveguide layer, and a photocoupler directs the constituent bit signals to be of the two optical digital signals incident on the waveguide layer so as to satisfy the Bragg diffraction condition with respect to the surface acoustic wave propagating on the waveguide layer. A photosensor detects diffracted light and/or undiffracted light which has passed through a surface acoustic wave interaction region.

Abstract: A plurality of incident light beams are parallelly propagated in a thin film optical waveguide. Simultaneously, a surface acoustic wave is propagated in said thin film optical waveguide, and the plurality of incident light beams are selectively successively guided to a light output part by the acousto-optic effect of said by Bragg diffraction. The diffraction light beams are serially output. In this way optical data parallelly input are directly converted into optical data in a serial state.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave generator is provided on an optical waveguide layer of an acousto-optical material. A group of parallel light beams each made significant according to the position of the path of propagation of light are made incident on the waveguide layer at an angle satisfying the Bragg diffraction condition with respect to a surface acoustic wave, and are successively diffracted by the wave, whereby a digital amount represented by the presence of light beams of the group is converted to an analog amount in terms of the power of light.

Abstract: A tunable semiconductor laser has an active layer, an insulating film made of a piezoelectric material and formed on a portion of the active layer, and an interdigital transducer provided on the insulating film for generating a surface acoustic wave. The laser oscillation wavelength is variable by varying the wavelength of the surface acoustic wave generated by the transducer. When adapted to produce surface acoustic waves of different frequencies at different locations, the transducer affords an enlarged tunable wavelength band. A plurality of Gunn diodes effecting oscillation at different frequencies are usable in place of the transducer.

Abstract: By an electro-optical switch or an optical switch element utilizing diffraction by a surface acoustic wave, an input light beam is first switched over to one of light beams two or a multiple of two in number and propagating in different directions. By a surface acoustic wave which is discretely variable in frequency, the light beam in each of the different propagation direction is deflected at angles in accordance with the varying frequencies while propagating through an optical waveguide layer. It is possible to obtain by switching a very large total number of output light beams which are equal in number to the number of resolvable deflected light beams obtained in the frequency bandwidth of one surface acoustic wave, multiplied by the number of light beams obtained by switching with the optical switch element.