Electronic frequency tuning of the acousto-optic mode-locking device of a laser

Abstract

The effect of the electronic tuning of the acoustic resonances in an acousto-optic mode-locking device of a laser is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The problem of the excitation of a Fabry–Perot acoustic resonator by a plate-like piezoelectric transducer (PET) is solved in the approximation of plane acoustic waves taking into consideration the actual parameters of an RF generator and the elements for matching the PET to the generator. Resonances are tuned by changing the matching inductance that was connected in parallel to the transducer of the acousto-optic cell. The cell used in the experiment was manufactured from fused silica and included a lithium niobate PET. Changes in the matching inductance in the range of 0.025 to 0.2 μH provided the acoustic-resonance frequency tuning by 0.19 MHz, which exceeds the acoustic- resonance half-width.