Optical signal processors consisting of collinear acousto-optic channel waveguides

Optical signal processors consisting of optical switches using collinear acous-to-optic (A-O) interaction are proposed. Several optical signals with different wavelength are switched independently to each other at the same time. High A-O interaction efficiency is realized because both optical and acoustic waves are confined in channel waveguides. Wavelength-selective switching was demonstrated in a slab-waveguide type switch. Using the experimental results, switching properties in channel-waveguide switches are discussed. As examples of optical signal processors, multi-wavelength signal exchange switching board, matrix-vector and matrix-matrix multiplications are proposed.