A tunable filter with collinear acoustooptical TE-TM mode conversion in a GaAs-AlAs multiquantum-well waveguide

We investigate theoretically an acoustooptic tunable filter (AOTF) based on TE-TM mode conversion by collinear acoustooptic interaction, using the high form birefringence that occurs in a GaAs-AlAs multiquantum-well (MQW) rib waveguide. Mode conversion is achieved using a transverse piezoelectric surface acoustic wave. We propose to use a piezoelectric layer (ZnO or AlN) of 6-mm symmetry, which can be deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The c axis is then parallel to the plane of the layer. Under this condition, a transverse piezoelectric surface acoustic wave excited by inderdigital electrodes can propagate within the GaAs-AlAs MQW optical waveguide. TE-TM conversion is then possible with a relatively low acoustic frequency (some tens of megahertz), yielding a high diffraction efficiency and a figure of merit 14 times higher than that of conventional LiNbO₃ filters based on AOTFs