Proposed is a new beam deflector device based on electro-optic prismsformed in a semiconductor planar waveguide for the fast steering of ablue-green diode-laser source. Employment of prism-shaped regions within aSchottky-barrier thin layer allows the electro-optic effect to be driven ata much reduced voltage level than required by any previous electro-opticbeam deflector. More than thirty resolvable spots will be achievable; and,therefore, it is possible to multiplex angularly in the same volumeequivalent numbers of page-oriented data in a holographic memory system.Furthermore, semiconductor-material systems exist for which theelectro-optic effect occurs at the desirable blue-green wavelengths down to480 nm. The proposed device will improve upon the deflection performance ofexisting beam deflectors, have a simplified device configuration, and haveno moving components. Holographic optical memory systems will immediatelybenefit from the proposed beam deflector. These memory systems, whetherusing currently developed or anticipated material systems, all faceobstacles in the area of dynamic control of the optical waves required torecord and read the typically two-dimensional page-oriented data. Existingpage-addressing deflectors, furthermore, require a moving mechanical opticalassembly using a stepper motor that results in a poor stability and a lowthroughput rate. Beam deflectors are essential components in optical disks (I.e., CD, DVD),optical data storage systems, laser printers, and optical-computing systems.Specifically, a high-speed electro-optic beam deflector can significantlyimprove the performance of volume holographic memory based on theangular-multiplexing technique, which would enable commercial applicationsin telecommunication, large database storage, and large database processing.
Keywords: Beam Deflector, Beam Scanner, Beam Steerer, Waveguide, Electro-Optic Effect, Prisms, Semiconductor,
