Image scanning using acousto-optic interaction with surface waves

The scanning of a one-dimensional light intensity distribution was accomplished by employing the acousto-optic interaction of surface waves on LiNbO₃. The acoustic signal was 200 nano-seconds long with a center frequency of 100 MHz. To produce a large interaction length, the light propagates through the crystal parallel to the surface on which the acoustic surface wave is launched. The detected diffraction signal yields a temporal representation of the spatial intensity distribution.