Acousto-optic deflector
An acousto-optic deflector (AOD) is a device that uses the interaction between sound waves and light waves to deflect or redirect a laser beam. AODs are essentially the same as acousto-optic modulators (AOMs). In both an AOM and an AOD, the amplitude and frequency of different orders are adjusted as light is diffracted.
Operation[edit]
In the operation of an acousto-optic deflector the power driving the acoustic transducer is kept on, at a constant level, while the acoustic frequency is varied to deflect the beam to different angular positions. The acousto-optic deflector makes use of the acoustic frequency dependent diffraction angle, where a change in the angle as a function of the change in frequency given as,[1]
where is the optical wavelength and is the velocity of the acoustic wave.
Impact[edit]
AOM technology has made Bose–Einstein condensation practical, for which the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Eric A. Cornell, Wolfgang Ketterle and Carl E. Wieman.[2] Another application of acoustic-optical deflection is optical trapping of small molecules.
See also[edit]
- Acousto-optic modulator
- Acousto-optics
- Acousto-optical spectrometer
- Nonlinear optics
- Sonoluminescence
References[edit]
- ^ "Acousto-optic effect: Deflector". Retrieved 2007-08-07.
- ^ The Nobel Prize in Physics 2001
Paschotta, Rüdiger. "Acousto-optic Deflectors". Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-08.