Optical module

Abstract

A pyroelectric crystal, e.g. a LN crystal (1), is coated with conductive films (8). When polarization charges (4) are generated on the surface of the LN crystal (1) due to its pyroelectric effect upon accumulation of stress, the presence of the conductive films (8) induces on themselves reverse electric charges (9) matching the polarization charges (4) generated on the surface of the LN crystal (1). Therefore an electric field created by the polarization charges (4) is canceled by an electric field created by the reverse charges (9) induced on the conductive films (8). The conductive film (8b) formed on a face through which signal light is transmitted is formed from a medium transparent with respect to the signal light. Therefore the light path of the signal light is not blocked by the conductive film (8b), and the polarization charges (4) generated on the signal transmissive face can be neutralized.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.