The present invention relates to an acousto-optic device capable of
improving the interaction efficiency for suppressing the driving power
needed for SAW generation. The acousto-optic device according to the
present invention a substrate showing an acousto-optic effect, first and
second optical waveguides formed on the substrate to be substantially
parallel with each other for propagating light, a transducer formed on
the substrate for producing a surface acoustic wave to be propagated in a
propagation direction along directions of the first and second optical
waveguides, and a surface acoustic wave distribution structure for
distributing an intensity of the surface acoustic wave from the
transducer in a direction perpendicular to the propagation direction on
the substrate so that maximum values develop at two points corresponding
to positions of the first and second optical waveguides.