# US 10,503,046 B2 · Nanostructured acousto-optic device, and optical scanner, optical modulator, and holographic display apparatus using the nanostructured acousto-optic device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,503,046 B2
- Document ID: US10503046B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/259,116
- Filed: 2016-09-08
- Published: 2016-12-29
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-01-28
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Seung-hoon Han; In-kyeong Yoo; Sang-yoon Lee; Hong-seok Lee; Moon Gyu Han; Sun-kook Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503046B2

## CPC

- G02F 1/335: having an optical waveguide structure
- B82Y 20/00: Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
- G02B 30/00: Optical systems or apparatus for producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images (in microscopes G02B21/22)
- G02F 1/11: based on acousto-optical elements, e.g. using variable diffraction by sound or like mechanical waves (acousto-optical deflection G02F1/33)
- G02F 1/292: {by controlled diffraction or phased-array beam steering (controlled diffraction for optical switching G02F1/31)}
- G03H 1/2286: {Particular reconstruction light (G03H1/24 takes precedence); Beam properties}
- G02F 1/017: Structures with periodic or quasi periodic potential variation, e.g. superlattices, quantum wells
- G02F 1/291: {Two-dimensional analogue deflection}
- G02F 2202/36: Micro- or nanomaterials
- G02F 2202/40: Materials having a particular birefringence, retardation
- G02F 2202/42: Materials having a particular dielectric constant
- G02F 2203/22: diffractive
- G03H 2001/2292: {Using scanning means}
- Y10S 977/834: Optical properties of nanomaterial, e.g. specified transparency, opacity, or index of refraction
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G03H: HOLOGRAPHIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS (holograms, e.g. point holograms, used as ordinary optical elements G02B5/32; producing stereoscopic or other three-dimensional effects G02B30/00; diffraction-grating systems G02B27/44; systems using moiré fringes G02B27/60; optical logic elements G02F3/00; stereo-photography G03B35/00; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; {stereo-photographic or similar processes G03C9/00}; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D; analogue computers performing mathematical operations with the aid of optical elements G06E3/00; authentication by radiation, of concealed information carried by holograms or diffraction gratings G06K19/16; holographic storage G11B7/0065, G11C13/04; {stereoscopic or other three dimensional effects in television systems H04N13/00})
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

An acousto-optic device capable of increasing a range of a diffraction angle of output light by using a nanostructured acousto-optic medium, and an optical scanner, an optical modulator, a two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) conversion stereoscopic image display apparatus, and a holographic display apparatus using the acousto-optic device. The acousto-optic device may include a nanostructured acousto-optic medium formed by at least two different mediums repeatedly alternating with each other, wherein at least one of the at least two different mediums includes an acousto-optic medium. The acousto-optic device having the aforementioned structure may increase the range of a diffraction angle of output light. Thus, various systems such as the optical scanner, the optical modulator, the 2D/3D conversion stereoscopic image display apparatus, and the holographic display apparatus may not require a separate optical system to increase an operational angle range, thereby decreasing a size of the system and/or improving a resolution of the system.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An acousto-optic device comprising:
a first medium and a second medium repeatedly alternating with each other in a first direction; and
a sonic wave generator configured to apply sonic waves to the first medium and the second medium,
wherein a period in which a thickness of the first medium and a thickness of the second medium alternate with each other is smaller than a half of a wavelength of visible light to be controlled by the acousto-optic device,
wherein the acousto-optic device is configured to diffract light, the light being transmitted through sides of the acousto-optic device in a second direction transverse to the first direction in which the first medium and the second medium are alternately disposed, and
wherein the sides through which the light is transmitted are perpendicular to a side on which the sonic wave generator is disposed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The acousto-optic device of claim 1, wherein the first direction is a propagation direction of the sonic waves applied by the sonic wave generator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The acousto-optic device of claim 2, wherein:
the sonic wave generator is disposed on either one of:
a surface of the first medium, wherein the first medium precedes the second medium in the propagation direction of the sonic waves, and
a surface of the second medium, wherein the second medium precedes the first medium in the propagation direction of the sonic waves; and
the surface on which the sonic wave generator is disposed is perpendicular to the propagation direction of the sonic waves.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The acousto-optic device of claim 1, wherein the first medium is GaN, or Al1-xGaxN, or In1-xGaxN, ZnO, or an organic crystal and the second medium is Al, or Ag, or Au, or Cu, or Na, or ITO, or AZO, or GZO, or graphene, or an alloy of Al, or Ag, or Au, or Cu, or Na.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The acousto-optic device of claim 1, wherein the first medium and the second medium repeatedly alternate with each other in a direction that is perpendicular to a propagation direction of the sonic waves applied by the sonic wave generator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The acousto-optic device of claim 5, wherein:
the sonic wave generator is disposed on a surface formed by alternating surfaces of the first medium and the second medium; and
the surface on or over which the sonic wave generator is disposed is perpendicular to the propagation direction of the sonic waves.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The acousto-optic device of claim 1, wherein the first medium has an acousto-optic coefficient larger than an acousto-optic coefficient of the second medium.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The acousto-optic device of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional medium repeatedly alternating with the first medium and the second medium and having a dielectric constant different from dielectric constants of the first medium and the second medium.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The acousto-optic device of claim 1, wherein the acousto-optic device is configured to diffract light incident on a light incident surface thereof, a travel direction of the incident light is transverse to a propagation direction of the sonic waves, and the diffracted light is output from a light exit surface of the acousto-optic device that is opposite to the light incident surface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The acousto-optic device of claim 1, wherein the first medium has a dielectric constant with a real part having a first sign at the wavelength of the light to be controlled by the acousto-optic device; and
the second medium has a dielectric constant with a real part having a second sign opposite to the first sign at the wavelength of the light to be controlled by the acousto-optic device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The acousto-optic device of claim 1, wherein the acousto-optic device has a refractive index anisotropy such that a diffraction angle range of the light diffracted by phase gratings formed in the first and second medium is greater than a diffraction angle range of light diffracted by phase gratings formed in only the first medium and is also greater than a diffraction angle range of light diffracted by phase gratings formed in only the second medium.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

An optical scanner comprising:
an optical waveguide;
an optical coupling device configured to make light incident on the optical waveguide;
a first acousto-optic device comprising the acousto-optic device of claim 1 disposed in the optical waveguide and configured to deflect the light incident on the optical waveguide in a first direction; and
a second acousto-optic device comprising the acousto-optic device of claim 1 disposed in the optical waveguide and configured to deflect the light deflected by the first acousto-optic device in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) conversion stereoscopic image display apparatus comprising:
a display panel; and
an acousto-optic device array disposed on an entire display surface of the display panel to deflect an image to be displayed on the display panel;
wherein the acousto-optic device array comprises a plurality of acousto-optic devices of claim 1.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A holographic display apparatus comprising:
a light source to emit light;
an acousto-optic device array to deflect the light emitted from the light source, the acousto-optic device array comprising a plurality of acousto-optic devices of claim 1; and
a projection optical system to project the light deflected by the acousto-optic device array.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The acousto-optic device of claim 1, wherein the first direction is a longitudinal direction, with the light being transmitted through lateral sides of the acousto-optic device.

### Claim 16

An acousto-optic device comprising:
a first medium and a second medium repeatedly alternating with each other in a first direction to form a stacked structure, either one or both of the first medium and the second medium being formed of an acousto-optic medium; and
a sonic wave generator configured to apply sonic waves to the stacked structure to form a phase grating in the stacked structure, the phase grating diffracting light incident on the stacked structure,
wherein a period in which a thickness of the first medium and a thickness of the second medium alternate with each other is smaller than a half of a wavelength of visible light to be controlled by the acousto-optic device,
wherein the acousto-optic device is configured to diffract light, the light being transmitted through sides of the acousto-optic device in a second direction transverse to the first direction in which the first medium and the second medium are alternately disposed, and
wherein the sides through which the light is transmitted are perpendicular to a side on which the sonic wave generator is disposed.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The acousto-optic device of claim 16, wherein a diffraction angle of the light diffracted by the phase grating formed in the stacked structure is greater than a diffraction angle of light diffracted by a phase grating formed in only the first medium having a same period as the phase grating formed in the stacked structure, and is also greater than a diffraction angle of light diffracted by a phase grating formed in only the second medium having the same period as the phase grating formed in the stacked structure.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The acousto-optic device of claim 16, wherein the first medium has an acousto-optic coefficient larger than an acousto-optic coefficient of the second medium.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The acousto-optic device of claim 16, wherein:
the sonic generator is disposed on or over a first surface of the stacked structure that is parallel to a direction in which the first medium and the second medium repeatedly alternate with each other so that the first medium and the second medium repeatedly alternate with each other in the direction that is perpendicular to a propagation direction of the sonic waves; and
the light incident on the stacked structure is incident on a second surface of the stacked structure that is perpendicular to the first surface of the stacked structure.

### Claim 20

An acousto-optic device comprising:
a first medium and a second medium repeatedly alternating with each other to form a stacked structure, the first medium and/or the second medium being formed of an acousto-optic medium; and
a sonic wave generator configured to apply sonic waves to the stacked structure to form a phase grating in the stacked structure, the phase grating diffracting light incident on the stacked structure,
wherein a period in which a thickness of the first medium and a thickness of the second medium alternate with each other is smaller than a half of a wavelength of visible light to be controlled by the acousto-optic device,
wherein the acousto-optic device is configured to diffract light that is transmitted through the acousto-optic device,
wherein:
the sonic generator is disposed on or over a first surface of the stacked structure that is perpendicular to a direction in which the first medium and the second medium repeatedly alternate with each other so that the first medium and the second medium repeatedly alternate with each other in a propagation direction of the sonic waves; and
the light incident on the stacked structure is incident on a second surface of the stacked structure in a direction transverse to the direction in which the first medium and the second medium repeatedly alternate,
wherein the second surface is perpendicular to the first surface.

### Claim 21

An acousto-optic device comprising:
an acousto-optic medium comprising a first medium, a second medium and a third medium successively alternating in linear layers, the first medium being directly in contact with the second medium and the second medium being directly in contact with the third medium; and
a sonic wave generator configured to apply sonic waves to the acousto-optic medium,
wherein a period in which the first, second, and third mediums alternate with one another is smaller than a half of a wavelength of light to be controlled by the acousto-optic device, and
wherein the acousto-optic device is configured to diffract light that is transmitted through the acousto-optic device.

### Claim 22

An acousto-optic device, comprising:
a first medium and a second medium repeatedly alternating with each other in a lateral first direction; and
a sonic wave generator configured to apply sonic waves to the first medium and the second medium,
wherein a corresponding period in which a thickness of the first medium and a thickness of the second medium alternate with each other is smaller than a half of a wavelength of visible light to be controlled by the acousto-optic device, and
wherein the acousto-optic device is configured to diffract the light, the light being transmitted through longitudinal sides of the acousto-optic device in a second direction transverse to the first direction in which the first medium and the second medium are alternately disposed, and
wherein the longitudinal sides through which the light is transmitted are perpendicular to a side on which the sonic wave generator is disposed.