Thin film optical element

Claim 2

A thin film optical element comprising: a substrate having surface and an end face; an optical waveguide formed by ion injection on the surface of said substrate, said waveguide including an optical connector part and an optical functional part; means for inputting or outputting light to or from said waveguide through said end face, said inputting or outputting means being provided at said optical connector part of said waveguide adjacent said end face of said substate; and means for modulating or deflecting the light at it propagates in said waveguide by varying a refractive index of said optical functional of said waveguide; wherein the depth of ion injection into said substrate in said optical connector part is different from the depth in said optical functional part, and wherein the depth of ion injection gradually varies from said optical connector part toward said optical functional part so that propagating light is confined in the vicinity of the surface of said substrate at said optical functional part and so that the energy distribution of the propagating light in said optical connector part is broader than the energy distribution in said optical functional part.

Claim 3

A thin film optical element according to claim 1, wherein the surface of said substrate is provided with an area free from the ion injection, and said modulating or deflecting means includes electrodes for causing an external effect in said area.

Claim 4

A thin film optical element according to claim 1, wherein metal is further thermally diffused in said waveguide.

Claim 5

A thin optical element according to claim 3, wherein the concentration of thermally diffused metal is higher in said optical functional part than in said optical connector part.

Claim 6

A thin film optical element according to claim 4, wherein the surface of said substrate is provided with an area free from the ion injection, and said modulating or deflecting means includes electrodes for causing and external effect in said area.

Claim 7

A thin film optical element according to claim 4, wherein the ion concentration, in the distribution along the direction of thickness of the substrate in said optical connector part, is higher in the interior than in the vicinity of the surface of the substrate.

Claim 8

A thin film optical element according to claim 6, wherein the surface of said substrate is provided with an area free from the ion injection, and said modulating or deflecting means includes electrodes for causing an external effect in said area.

Claim 9

A thin film optical element according to claim 1, wherein the ion concentration, in the distribution along the direction of thickness of the substrate in said connector part, is higher in the interior than in the vicinity of the surface of the substrate.

Claim 10

A thin film optical element according to claim 8, wherein the surface of said substrate is provided with an area free from the ion injection, and said modulating or defeflecting means includes electrodes for causing an external effect in said area.

Claim 11

A thing film optical element according to claim 1, wherein the ion concentration in said wave guide is higher in said optical functional part than in said optical connector part.

Claim 12

A thin film optical element according to claim 10, wherein the surface of said substrate is provided with an area free from the ion injection, and said modulating or deflecting means includes electrodes for causing an external effect in said area.

Claim 13

A thin film optical element according to claim 10, wherein said substrate is composed of lithium niobate crystal or lithium tantalate crystal, and said ion is proton.

Claim 14

A thin optical element according to claim 12, wherein the depth of said ion injection is larger in the optical connector part than in the optical functional part.

Claim 15

A thin film optical element according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is composed of gallium arsenide.

Claim 16

A thin film optical element according to claim 1, wherein said refractive index is varied by an acoustooptical effect.

Claim 17

A thin film optical element according to claim 1, wherein said refractive index is varied by an electrooptical effect.

Claim 18

A thin film optical element according to claim 1, wherein said ion is thermally diffused into the substrate.

Claim 19

A thin film optical element comprising: a substrate having a surface and an end face; an optical waveguide formed by ion injection on the surface of said substrate, said waveguide including an optical connector part and an optical functional part; means for inputting or outputting light to or from said waveguide through said end face, said inputting or outputting means being provided at said optical connector part of said waveguide adjacent said end face of said substrate; and means for modulating or deflecting the light as it propagates in said waveguide by varying a refractive index of said optical functional part of said waveguide; wherein injected ion concentration in said optical functional part is higher than the ion concentration in said optical connector part, and wherein the concentration gradually varies from said optical connector part toward said optical functional part so that propagating light is confined in the vicinity of the surface of said substrate at said optical functional part and so that the energy distribution of the propagating light in said optical connector part is broader than the energy distribution in said optical functional part.

Claim 20

A thin film optical element comprising: a substrate having a surface and an end face; an optical waveguide formed by ion injection on the surface of said substrate, said waveguide including an optical connector part and an optical functional part; means for inputting or outputting light to or from said waveguide through said end face, said inputting or outputting means being provided at said optical connector part of said waveguide adjacent said end face of said substrate; and means for modulating or deflecting the light as it propagates in said waveguide by varying a refractive index of said optical functional part of said waveguide; wherein injected ion concentration in said optical functional part is higher than the ion concentration in said optical connector part, and wherein the concentration gradually varies from said optical connector part toward said optical functional part so that propagating light is confined in the vicinity of the surface of said substrate at said optical functional part and so that the energy distribution of the propagating light in said optical connector part is broader than the energy distribution in said optical functional part.

Claim 21

A thin film optical element according to claim 18, wherein the surface of said substrate is provided with an area free from the ion injection, and said modulating or deflecting means includes electrodes for causing an external effect in said area.

Claim 22

A thin film optical element according to claim 18, wherein a metal is further thermally diffused in said waveguide.

Claim 23

A thin film optical element according to claim 18, wherein the ion concentration, in the distribution along the direction of thickness of the substrate in said optical connector part, is higher in the interior than in the vicinity of the surface of the substrate.

Claim 24

A thin film optical element according to claim 21, wherein the surface of said substrate is provided with an area free from the ion injection, and said modulating or deflecting means includes electrodes for causing an external effect in said area.

Claim 25

A thin film optical element according to claim 18, wherein said substrate is composed of lithium niobate crystal or lithium tantalate crystal, and said ion is proton.

Claim 26

A thin film optical element according to claim 18, wherein said refractive index is varied by an acoustooptical effect.

Claim 27

A thin film optical element according to claim 18, wherein said refractive index is varied by an electrooptical effect.

Claim 28

A thin film optical element according to claim 18, wherein said ions are thermally diffused into the substate.

Claim 29

A thin film optical element comprising: a substrate having a surface and an end face; an optical waveguide formed by ion injection on the surface of said substrate, said waveguide including an optical connector part and an optical functional part; means for inputting or outputting light to or from said waveguide through said end face, said inputting or outputting means being provided at said optical connector part of said waveguide adjacent said end face of said substrate; and means for modulating or deflecting the light as it propagates in said waveguide by varying a refractive index of said optical functional part if said waveguide; means ion concentration into said substrate in said optical functional part is higher inside said optical functional part than on the surface of said substrate, and wherein the ion concentration distribution gradually varies from said optical connector part toward said optical functional part so that propagating light is confined in the vicinity of the surface of said substrate at said optical functional part and so that the energy distribution of the propagating light in said optical connector part is broader than the energy distribution in said optical functional part.

Claim 30

A thin film optical element comprising: a substrate having a surface and an end face; an optical waveguide formed by ion injection on the surface of said substrate, said waveguide including an optical connector part and an optical functional part; means for inputting or outputting light to or from said waveguide through said end face, said inputting or outputting means being provided at said optical connector part of said waveguide adjacent said end face of said substrate; and means for modulating or deflecting the light as it propagates in said waveguide by varying a refractive index of said optical functional part if said waveguide; means ion concentration into said substrate in said optical functional part is higher inside said optical functional part than on the surface of said substrate, and wherein the ion concentration distribution gradually varies from said optical connector part toward said optical functional part so that propagating light is confined in the vicinity of the surface of said substrate at said optical functional part and so that the energy distribution of the propagating light in said optical connector part is broader than the energy distribution in said optical functional part.

Claim 31

A thin film optical element according to claim 27, wherein the surface of said substrate is provided with an area free from the ion injection, and said modulating or deflecting means includes electrodes for causing an external effect in said area.

Claim 32

A thin film optical element according to claim 27, wherein a metal is further thermally diffused in said waveguide.

Claim 33

A thin film optical element according to claim 27, wherein said substrte is composed of lithium niobate crystal or lithium tantalate crystal, and said ion is proton.

Claim 34

A thin film optical element according to claim 27, wherein said refractive index is varied by an acoustooptical effect.

Claim 35

A thin film optical element according to claim 27, wherein said refractive index is varied by an electrooptical effect.

Claim 36

A thin film optical element according to claim 27, wherein said ions are thermally diffused into the substrate.