ACOUSTO-OPTIC MODULATOR FOR SELECTIVE EXTRACTION OF ONE OR MORE WAVELENGTHS FROM RANDOMLY POLARIZED POLYCHROMATIC LIGHT BEAM

摘要

A polarization-independent polychromatic light modulator applies one or more pairs of predetermined RF drive frequencies from the driver (35) to an acousto-optic transducer (30) of an acousto-optic modulator body (10) upon which a single beam (20) of unpolarized or randomly polarized polychromatic input light is incident. No precursor polarization separation elements are employed. For each optical wavelength to be extracted from the incident beam, two RF drive frequencies are employed which produce respective +1 and -1 order output beam components (22, 23) and zeroth order beam (21). The +1 and -1 order beams are recombined by recombination optics system (60) into a single composite beam containing a selected wavelength. For multiple wavelengths (e.g., composite color output light beam) multiple pairs of RF drive frequencies are employed.