LIGHT DEFLECTOR USING CHALCOGENIDE AMORPHOUS FILM LOADED ON A GRADED INDEX LiNbO3 WAVEGUIDE.

An (Se, S) type chalcogenide amorphous film with thickness below cutoff is deposited on an LiNbO//3 waveguide and a diffraction grating created holographically in this film is used for deflecting the light propagating in the LiNbO//3 waveguide. Because a holographic technique is used, diffraction gratings with period less than 1 mu m are easily fabricated and deflection angles as large as a few tens of degrees are obtainable. Using such large deflection angles, planar circuits can be fabricated. Hence, in addition to enlarging the scope of application in optical communication systems, applications to optical information processing are expected.