Beam shaping and high-speed, cylinder-lens-free beam guiding using acousto-optical deflectors without additional compensation optics

Opt Express. 2013 Jun 17;21(12):14627-35. doi: 10.1364/OE.21.014627.

Abstract

Using acousto-optical deflectors at high deflection speeds via acoustical frequency chirping induces astigmatism, deforming the laser beam in an unfavorable way. Within the paper, we present a method to prevent this effect for an ultrashort pulsed laser beam via acoustical frequency jumps synchronized to the pulse-to-pulse pause. We also demonstrate and give a method to calculate beam shaping capability of acousto-optical deflectors via arbitrary spatial frequency developments during ultrashort laser pulse transit through the deflector. Cylinder-lens-free deflection at >2000 rad/s and beam shaping capability is demonstrated experimentally. In our experiments the switching time between two beam shapes is 1 µs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustics / instrumentation*
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Lasers*
  • Lenses*
  • Lighting / instrumentation*
  • Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems / instrumentation*
  • Refractometry / instrumentation*