Acousto-Optic Deflector with a High Diffraction Efficiency and Wide Angular Scanning Range

Abstract

A new acousto-optic deflector with a wide angular scanning range and a high diffraction efficiency has been studied. The device uses an additional deflector, which allows the angle of incidence of the input beam to be adjusted in order to fulfill the Bragg phase–matching condition over the entire scanning range of the main deflector. The characteristics of an anisotropic two-crystal deflector based on paratellurite crystals have been measured. It has been established experimentally that the operating bandwidth of the device is 32 MHz for a diffraction coefficient no less than 90%, which determines a light beam scanning angle of 50 mrad.