Characterization and optimization of the laser diffracted by an acoustic-optical modulator in the infrared region

Abstract

The acousto-optic modulator is a popular tool in photonic laboratories for amplitude modulation or frequency tuning. Due to the unique feature of the modified frequency diffraction, the acousto-optic modulator can also serve as a key element in laser spectroscopy. In this work, the characterization of an acousto-optic system is presented. For the characterization of the beam, diffracted by this system, the modulators efficiency was optimized based on its vertical positioning, and also the beams angle and position. The profiles of the diffracted beams under the frequency modulation are shown up, down, and near of the modulation’s central frequencyIn an AOM, the light is scattered from successive wavefronts that interoperate constructively. The condition for the constructive interference of scattered light is given by the Equation (1), in which the favoring of the orders diffracted by the modulator can be seen as predicted by the acousto-optic principle.