Enhancement of photoelastic constant of optical thin film waveguide assisted by surface acoustic wave

In the present research, we proposed a method of controlling the photoelastic constant using surface acoustic waves, which had not previously been reported, and carried out experimental studies thereof. A Bragg diffraction was carried out to determine the photoelastic constants of Ta2O5. As a result, it is confirmed that the photoelastic constant of a Ta2O5 thin film undergoing a sputtering process, during which surface acoustic waves were excited on the substrate, was about 2.19-2.27 times larger than those of thin films on which surface acoustic waves were not excited.