Thin film layered structure for acousto-optic devices

Thin film layered structures for surface acoustic wave (SAW) and acousto-optic devices, which utilize the piezoelectric property of one layer and the photoelastic property of the other layer are reported. Three different structures, Si-ZnO-TeO₂, Si-SiO₂-TeO₂-ZnO and Si-SiO₂-ZnO, having interdigital transducers (IDTS) on the top layer have been studied, and it is shown that the Si-SiO₂-TeO₂-ZnO structure provides the highest acousto-optic figure of merit and electromechanical coupling for a SAW.