Acousto-optic modulation using a new chlorotellurite glass

Results of initial tests on an acousto-optic modulator using a new chlorotellurite glass with a composition of 3TeO₂-2ZnCl₂ are reported. This glass exhibits a wider transparency range (0.42-5.7 μm) than other tellurite glasses, with approximately the same figures of merit. We obtained an 80% diffraction loss and a 65% diffraction efficiency at a 633 nm wavelength, using an 80 MHz 15×1 mm piezoelectric transducer with 1.5 W of rf power. This glass is able to convert to fiber form, thus allowing efficient in-fiber acousto-optic modulators to be built.