Acousto-optic modulator system and device with connections and related methods
An acousto-optic system may include a laser source, and an AOM coupled to the laser source and having an acousto-optic medium and transducer electrodes carried by the medium. The acousto-optic system may also include an interface board with a dielectric layer and signal contacts carried by the dielectric layer, and connections coupling respective signal contacts with respective transducer electrodes. Each connection may include a dielectric protrusion extending from the AOM, and an electrically conductive layer on the dielectric protrusion for coupling a respective transducer electrode to a respective signal contact.
1. An acousto-optic system comprising:
a laser source;
an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) coupled to said laser source and comprising an acousto-optic medium and a plurality of transducer electrodes carried by the acousto-optic medium; and
an interface board comprising a dielectric layer and a plurality of signal contacts carried by the dielectric layer; and
a plurality of connections coupling respective signal contacts with respective transducer electrodes, each connection comprising
a dielectric protrusion extending from said AOM, and
an electrically conductive layer on said dielectric protrusion for coupling a respective transducer electrode to a respective signal contact.
2. The acousto-optic system of claim 1 wherein each connection comprises a pair of spaced apart alignment protrusions extending from said interface board with said dielectric protrusion therebetween.
3. The acousto-optic system of claim 1 wherein each transducer electrode extends beneath a respective dielectric protrusion.
4. The acousto-optic system of claim 1 wherein each electrically conductive layer comprises an electrically conductive strap having opposing ends coupled to the respective transducer electrode.
5. The acousto-optic system of claim 1 wherein the respective dielectric protrusions for the plurality of connections are contiguous with one another and define an elongate strip.
6. The acousto-optic system of claim 1 wherein said interface board comprises a plurality of vertically extending signal vias coupled respectively to said plurality of signal contacts.
7. The acousto-optic system of claim 1 wherein said interface board comprises a plurality of reference voltage shield vias and respective reference voltage traces coupled thereto.
8. The acousto-optic system of claim 1 comprising modulator drive circuitry coupled to said plurality of signal contacts.
9. The acousto-optic system of claim 1 wherein said acousto-optic medium comprises at least one of fused silica and quartz.
10. The acousto-optic system of claim 1 comprising an atom trap downstream from said AOM so that the system defines a quantum computer.
11. An acousto-optic device comprising:
an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) comprising an acousto-optic medium and a plurality of transducer electrodes carried by the acousto-optic medium; and
an interface board comprising a dielectric layer and a plurality of signal contacts carried by the dielectric layer; and
a plurality of connections coupling respective signal contacts with respective transducer electrodes, each connection comprising
a dielectric protrusion extending from said AOM, and
an electrically conductive layer on said dielectric protrusion for coupling a respective transducer electrode to a respective signal contact.
12. The acousto-optic device of claim 11 wherein each connection comprises a pair of spaced apart alignment protrusions extending from said interface board with said dielectric protrusion therebetween.
13. The acousto-optic device of claim 11 wherein each transducer electrode extends beneath a respective dielectric protrusion.
14. The acousto-optic device of claim 11 wherein each electrically conductive layer comprises an electrically conductive strap having opposing ends coupled to the respective transducer electrode.
15. The acousto-optic device of claim 11 wherein the respective dielectric protrusions for the plurality of connections are contiguous with one another and define an elongate strip.
16. The acousto-optic device of claim 11 wherein said interface board comprises a plurality of vertically extending signal vias coupled respectively to said plurality of signal contacts.
17. The acousto-optic device of claim 11 wherein said interface board comprises a plurality of reference voltage shield vias and respective reference voltage traces coupled thereto.