Modulating laser beams is a common requirement of many applications, and using an acousto-optic modulator to do this has many advantages.
Acoustic Optic Modulators (AOMs) generally employ sound waves to modulate an incoming light beam, which then diffracts at an angled and with different intensities.
Acoustic Optic Modulators (AOMs) generally employ sound waves to modulate an incoming light beam, which then diffracts at an angled and with different intensities.
1. High modulation bandwidth
Acousto-optic modulators (AOMs) are commonly employed for various applications, including regenerative amplifiers, Q-switching, and mode locking of ultrafast lasers. Researchers using AOMs can adjust intensity, frequency, phase polarization deflection of an input beam by manipulating its acoustic (sound) wave.
Acoustic waves in a device vibrate a material such as glass or quartz and diffract light into multiple orders of diffraction. Depending on its design, its diffraction efficiency may be either strongly polarization-dependent or nonpolarization-dependent.
Diffraction processes can also be controlled by altering the speed of acoustic waves, creating different bandwidths. Diffraction efficiency is typically defined as the ratio of difference in optical power between entering and exiting beams.
Typically speaking, the faster an acoustic diffraction speed is, the wider can be the modulation bandwidth reached – meaning that acoustic optical modulators often can manage power levels that would be impossible for other forms of optical devices to handle.
Acoustic optical modulators offer another major advantage of acousto-optic devices: creating multiple beams with differing intensities that are spatially separated. This ability of these devices to produce multiple beams makes them invaluable.
Acoustic-optic modulators offer another distinct advantage – their integration into laser systems. By being embedded within laser systems, these modulators can be made extremely small and compact – ideal for various applications including femtosecond two-photon microscopy.
Acousto-optic modulators offer fast speed that meets the requirements of many applications, even up to 10 GHz pulse repetition rate – an enormous advancement over previous technologies.
Acoustic waves in a device vibrate a material such as glass or quartz and diffract light into multiple orders of diffraction. Depending on its design, its diffraction efficiency may be either strongly polarization-dependent or nonpolarization-dependent.
Diffraction processes can also be controlled by altering the speed of acoustic waves, creating different bandwidths. Diffraction efficiency is typically defined as the ratio of difference in optical power between entering and exiting beams.
Typically speaking, the faster an acoustic diffraction speed is, the wider can be the modulation bandwidth reached – meaning that acoustic optical modulators often can manage power levels that would be impossible for other forms of optical devices to handle.
Acoustic optical modulators offer another major advantage of acousto-optic devices: creating multiple beams with differing intensities that are spatially separated. This ability of these devices to produce multiple beams makes them invaluable.
Acoustic-optic modulators offer another distinct advantage – their integration into laser systems. By being embedded within laser systems, these modulators can be made extremely small and compact – ideal for various applications including femtosecond two-photon microscopy.
Acousto-optic modulators offer fast speed that meets the requirements of many applications, even up to 10 GHz pulse repetition rate – an enormous advancement over previous technologies.
2. Low insertion loss
Acousto-optic modulators are typically constructed of transparent materials that respond to sound waves by periodically changing the refractive index and deflecting light beams. There are various acoustic-optic materials available; among the most frequently used are KTA, LiNbO3, and Aluminum Dihydrogen Phosphate (ADH).
Acousticto-optic modulators (AOMs) can be utilized for laser beam modulation in numerous applications, including laser tunable filters and optical switches. Furthermore, these modules can also be integrated in microchips to provide integrated optics solutions.
To operate, a sound wave is generated and vibrated across a transducer attached to the device, inducing changes in density of an acoustic-optic medium such as compressions and rarefactions of air molecules within it, creating disturbances which can then be diverted by using diffracted gratings similar to what they provide.
The amount of light diffracted depends on two elements: drive power and wavelength, which can be altered to vary the angle of deflection. Acousto-optic modulators have been estimated to reach up to 95% diffraction efficiency for first order diffraction at given input power levels.
Acousto-optic modulators offer many advantages for laser beam modulation applications. They are highly reliable, boasting high laser damage thresholds, and feature fast repetition rates.
Acousto-optic modulators offer another major advantage over electro-optic modulators: lower power consumption. Acousto-optics typically consume only a fraction of the power consumed by their counterparts, making them particularly well suited for low-cost high-speed applications that save space, weight, and money.
When selecting an acousto-optic modulator, it is crucial to keep its insertion loss and center frequency in mind. These parameters influence its rise time and speed of operation – the amount of time needed for modulation by an RF driver.
Acousticto-optic modulators (AOMs) can be utilized for laser beam modulation in numerous applications, including laser tunable filters and optical switches. Furthermore, these modules can also be integrated in microchips to provide integrated optics solutions.
To operate, a sound wave is generated and vibrated across a transducer attached to the device, inducing changes in density of an acoustic-optic medium such as compressions and rarefactions of air molecules within it, creating disturbances which can then be diverted by using diffracted gratings similar to what they provide.
The amount of light diffracted depends on two elements: drive power and wavelength, which can be altered to vary the angle of deflection. Acousto-optic modulators have been estimated to reach up to 95% diffraction efficiency for first order diffraction at given input power levels.
Acousto-optic modulators offer many advantages for laser beam modulation applications. They are highly reliable, boasting high laser damage thresholds, and feature fast repetition rates.
Acousto-optic modulators offer another major advantage over electro-optic modulators: lower power consumption. Acousto-optics typically consume only a fraction of the power consumed by their counterparts, making them particularly well suited for low-cost high-speed applications that save space, weight, and money.
When selecting an acousto-optic modulator, it is crucial to keep its insertion loss and center frequency in mind. These parameters influence its rise time and speed of operation – the amount of time needed for modulation by an RF driver.
3. High modulation efficiency
An acousto-optic modulator (AOM) utilizes sound waves to modify an incoming laser beam. By changing the speed of these sound waves, an AOM is capable of changing various aspects of its incoming laser beam including intensity, frequency, phase polarization and deflection based on how quickly these acoustic waves travel – this technology can be found in Q-switching laser systems as well as mode locking amplifiers or regenerative amplifiers.
In order to maximize diffraction efficiency, an input laser beam enters an acoustic modulator at an angle known as the Bragg angle and part of it is diffracted by an acoustic wave before continuing along its original course – this allows maximum diffraction efficiency, which is critical for high-powered devices.
Diffraction efficiency is determined by drive power, which in turn is proportional to RF amplitude squared. At low acoustic powers, its average value may reach one percent; with increasing power it typically ranges between 50-95% efficiency.
Acoustic modulators are useful in numerous applications, including optical fiber Q-switching and pulse picking. Furthermore, these acousto-optic modulators can also be used to control amplitude/intensity levels of continuous wave (CW) laser beams and pulsed lasers.
Isomet provides an extensive range of acousto-optic modulators tailored to laser beam modulation. Our devices feature high precision crystal cold processing, antireflective coating technology that meets industry standards, stable bonding processes and comprehensive assembly and testing capabilities for maximum lifespan and superior performance. In addition, these devices can also be customized and prototyped according to specific customer requirements.
In order to maximize diffraction efficiency, an input laser beam enters an acoustic modulator at an angle known as the Bragg angle and part of it is diffracted by an acoustic wave before continuing along its original course – this allows maximum diffraction efficiency, which is critical for high-powered devices.
Diffraction efficiency is determined by drive power, which in turn is proportional to RF amplitude squared. At low acoustic powers, its average value may reach one percent; with increasing power it typically ranges between 50-95% efficiency.
Acoustic modulators are useful in numerous applications, including optical fiber Q-switching and pulse picking. Furthermore, these acousto-optic modulators can also be used to control amplitude/intensity levels of continuous wave (CW) laser beams and pulsed lasers.
Isomet provides an extensive range of acousto-optic modulators tailored to laser beam modulation. Our devices feature high precision crystal cold processing, antireflective coating technology that meets industry standards, stable bonding processes and comprehensive assembly and testing capabilities for maximum lifespan and superior performance. In addition, these devices can also be customized and prototyped according to specific customer requirements.
4. Low power consumption
Acousto-optic modulators are an excellent choice for laser beam modulation because they consume minimal power while operating with great speed, making them useful applications such as lock-in detection systems.
Contrary to mechanical choppers, acousto-optic modulators do not produce vibrations that impede signal detection and have higher modulation frequencies than mechanical versions.
These modules are typically driven by an RF driver that translates an electronic input signal into low-level output that can be detected by an acousto-optic modulator and used to switch between flat mirror and diffractive modes.
Acoustic waves in this device travel along a laser beam and cause periodic variations to its refractive index, eventually dispersing into multiple orders at its other end depending on their speed and the distance between input and output ports.
To maximize the performance of an acousto-optic modulator, it is crucial that rise times be minimized as much as possible. Rise time refers to how long it takes for acoustic waves to traverse a beam – usually 150 nanoseconds or longer for one millimeter diameter beams.
However, an extremely focused beam using high-frequency sound waves can travel faster. A single pass acoustic wave has a rise time as small as 4 nanoseconds so focusing the beam to an extremely small spot inside an acousto-optic device is crucial.
To maximize modulation bandwidth of an acoustic wave, multiple passes may be utilized to change its direction – this provides for increased diffraction orders and greater modulation efficiency.
Contrary to mechanical choppers, acousto-optic modulators do not produce vibrations that impede signal detection and have higher modulation frequencies than mechanical versions.
These modules are typically driven by an RF driver that translates an electronic input signal into low-level output that can be detected by an acousto-optic modulator and used to switch between flat mirror and diffractive modes.
Acoustic waves in this device travel along a laser beam and cause periodic variations to its refractive index, eventually dispersing into multiple orders at its other end depending on their speed and the distance between input and output ports.
To maximize the performance of an acousto-optic modulator, it is crucial that rise times be minimized as much as possible. Rise time refers to how long it takes for acoustic waves to traverse a beam – usually 150 nanoseconds or longer for one millimeter diameter beams.
However, an extremely focused beam using high-frequency sound waves can travel faster. A single pass acoustic wave has a rise time as small as 4 nanoseconds so focusing the beam to an extremely small spot inside an acousto-optic device is crucial.
To maximize modulation bandwidth of an acoustic wave, multiple passes may be utilized to change its direction – this provides for increased diffraction orders and greater modulation efficiency.
5. High speed
Acousto-optic modulators use sound waves to adjust the intensity, frequency, phase, polarization, and deflection of light beams entering their device. They’re often found in regenerative amplifiers, Q-switching networks, mode locking of ultrafast lasers and more.
Acoustic optic devices such as ARCs and traveling-wave devices are intended to maximize diffraction of an input laser beam into one first order position at their output. Acoustic waves pass through crystal at an angled path in order to avoid standing-wave effects before being absorbed at one end (usually cut at some angle) of the crystal (often by absorption at its other end). Traveling-wave geometry accommodates various bandwidths depending on speed of propagation; however, its single pass through laser beam region limits it.
The efficiency of an acoustic optic device depends on its choice of waves and whether or not they are polarization-dependent; typically longitudinal (compression) waves are preferred when operating in this regime.
An acoustic optic device operating in the polarization-independent regime can achieve higher diffraction efficiency by employing various acoustic waves, such as shear waves.
Acousto-optic modulators offer another advantage of high speed: changing laser beam intensity within milliseconds – making them suitable for applications like laser pulse shaping and optical parametric amplifiers (OPA).
Acousto-optic modulators come in various sizes and wavelength ranges, some models being programmable with an RF driver. Furthermore, they feature various other features like rise time, insertion loss and modulation bandwidth that make them unique devices.
Acoustic optic devices such as ARCs and traveling-wave devices are intended to maximize diffraction of an input laser beam into one first order position at their output. Acoustic waves pass through crystal at an angled path in order to avoid standing-wave effects before being absorbed at one end (usually cut at some angle) of the crystal (often by absorption at its other end). Traveling-wave geometry accommodates various bandwidths depending on speed of propagation; however, its single pass through laser beam region limits it.
The efficiency of an acoustic optic device depends on its choice of waves and whether or not they are polarization-dependent; typically longitudinal (compression) waves are preferred when operating in this regime.
An acoustic optic device operating in the polarization-independent regime can achieve higher diffraction efficiency by employing various acoustic waves, such as shear waves.
Acousto-optic modulators offer another advantage of high speed: changing laser beam intensity within milliseconds – making them suitable for applications like laser pulse shaping and optical parametric amplifiers (OPA).
Acousto-optic modulators come in various sizes and wavelength ranges, some models being programmable with an RF driver. Furthermore, they feature various other features like rise time, insertion loss and modulation bandwidth that make them unique devices.
