@article{WANG2025, 
author = {Yingying WANG and Changyou LI and Lingling JIANG and Zhongchao WU and Changgui LIN and Shixun DAI},
title = {Low-power high-performance fiber-coupled acousto-optic modulator based on novel chalcogenide glass},
year = {2025},
journal = {Journal of National University of Defense Technology},
volume = {47},
number = {5},
pages = {62-69},
keywords = {power consumption, chalcogenide glass, acousto-optic modulator, diffraction-efficiency},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.11887/j.issn.1001-2486.25040006},
doi = {10.11887/j.issn.1001-2486.25040006},
abstract = {Chalcogenide glasses, with their broad infrared transmission window and high acousto-optic figure of merit, represent an ideal medium for low-power high-performance acousto-optic modulators (AOMs), potentially overcoming the diffraction efficiency and power consumption limitations of AOMs based on conventional materials. Ge21Sb18S61 chalcogenide glass, characterized by its wide infrared transparency and high refractive index, was systematically investigated for its thermal, physical, optical, and acoustic properties. Using this glass as acousto-optic medium, a high-performance fiber-coupled AOM was successfully fabricated. Experimental results demonstrated that under a RF driving power of 0.52 W, the modulator achieved a diffraction efficiency of 84%, a rise time of 41 ns, and an extinction ratio as high as 61 dB, exhibiting excellent low-power consumption and high-efficiency characteristics. This study provides crucial technical support for the design and development of novel acousto-optic devices, contributing to advancements in high-speed optical communication and fiber sensing applications.ObjectiveThis study aims to overcome the limitations of conventional AOMs in diffraction efficiency and power consumption by employing novel materials with a high acousto-optic figure of merit as the acousto-optic medium. The goal is to develop high-performance, low-power AOMs to meet the growing needs of energy-efficient and high-performance optical modulation in modern optoelectronic systems.MethodsThis study employed a systematic material characterization→device fabrication→performance measurement approach to develop a chalcogenide glass-based AOM. The Ge21Sb18S61 glass was first characterized for its thermal, physical, optical, and acoustic properties to verify its suitability as an acousto-optic medium. A fiber-coupled AOM was then fabricated and its performance was experimentally evaluated.ResultsExperimental results demonstrated that Ge21Sb18S61 chalcogenide glass showed an acousto-optic figure of merit of 200×10-18 s3/g. Under a RF driving power of 0.52 W, the developed AOM achieved a diffraction efficiency of 84%, a rise time of 41 ns, and an extinction ratio as high as 61 dB. Moreover, it maintains stable performance over a temperature range of -40 to 70℃.ConclusionsCompared to conventional acousto-optic media, the chalcogenide-glass-based AOM demonstrates remarkable advantages in acousto-optic figure of merit, diffraction efficiency, and power consumption, establishing a novel material platform for developing high-performance acousto-optic devices.}
}