Use of an acousto-optic modulator for achieving 1.6-GHz (150- to 300-MHz bandwidth) cw modulation of a multiwatt cw argon laser operating at 488 nm and 514.5 nm

Richard J. Tansey; Blair F. Campbell; Andrea Koumvakalis; S. Muenter; Rashmi S. Shah

doi:10.1117/12.323126

2 October 1998 Use of an acousto-optic modulator for achieving 1.6-GHz (150- to 300-MHz bandwidth) cw modulation of a multiwatt cw argon laser operating at 488 nm and 514.5 nm

Richard J. Tansey, Blair F. Campbell, Andrea Koumvakalis, S. Muenter, Rashmi S. Shah

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3464, Optical Devices and Methods for Microwave/Millimeter-Wave and Frontier Applications; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.323126
Event: SPIE's International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1998, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

Experimental results will be shown in which an external acoustic-optic modulator is used with a high power single frequency cw argon laser operated at 488 nm and 514.5 nm to produce 150 - 300 MHz tunability on a 1.6 GHz carrier signal. Amplitude modulation with a visibility of 1 is demonstrated at 3.4 W488 nm and 5 W514 nm. Each of these wavelengths is tunable over 150 MHz or 300 MHz depending on the transducer. The crystal in each case is TeO₂. At least 95% of the available laser power is modulated with a contrast of 100%, having a single-sideband power of -12 dBm with no measurable harmonics to less than -60 dBm. Thermal tests are discussed in which theory is compared to experimental data to investigate damage mechanisms. Two AOMs were tested until damage occurred at powers in excess of 6 Watts. Interferograms and sheargrams were used to measure phase changes as a function of heat load. Finally, a beam combining method will be explained in which recombined first and zero order beams from a single AOM are phased together to produce two collinear beams with output modulated power equal to the input power, except for small losses due to absorption.

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Richard J. Tansey, Blair F. Campbell, Andrea Koumvakalis, S. Muenter, and Rashmi S. Shah "Use of an acousto-optic modulator for achieving 1.6-GHz (150- to 300-MHz bandwidth) cw modulation of a multiwatt cw argon laser operating at 488 nm and 514.5 nm", Proc. SPIE 3464, Optical Devices and Methods for Microwave/Millimeter-Wave and Frontier Applications, (2 October 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.323126

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KEYWORDS

Bragg cells

Modulation

Beam splitters

Crystals

Sensors

Absorption

Argon ion lasers

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