Acousto-optic applications
AO devices as well as their associated RF drivers play a major role in a wide range of applications due to their ability to manipulate light with high precision, high speed, high repeatability and long life time as there is no mechanical movement in their technology. This page introduces some actual key applications of AO technology.
Quantum computing
Exploring Light Manipulation with Acousto Optics…
Acousto Optics (AO) in quantum computing are used to manipulate the properties of light such as its frequency, its intensity, its phase or even its position. These properties have been well exploited in various experiments involving entangled photons: the latest Nobel Physics prize 2022 has been awarded to such experiments where AO devices were used to switch the photons from one polarizer to another in order to determine their respective polarization state.
AO’s Role in Quantum computing revolution…
AO was a good candidate due to its ability of deflecting the photons within tenths of ns. The entangled photons have led to major revolutions in the Quantum science and their application are numerous.AO devices can be used to manipulate the quantum states of the qubits, the basic units of quantum information. By controlling the phase or frequency of the lasers, AO enable precise state preparation. Additionally, AO can be used to direct the laser beams at individual qubits in the ion chain.
Quantum communication
Quantum Communication: Harnessing AOMs for Secure Transmission…
Quantum communication relies on the transmission of quantum states between distant locations. AOMs are used to modulate the characteristics of photons, enabling the creation of entangled states or encoding quantum information onto photons for transmission through optical fibers.
This modulation ensures the faithful transmission of quantum states, which is essential for applications like quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum teleportation.
Quantum sensing & metrology
The role of acousto-optical devices in quantum sensing and metrology…
Acousto-optic devices play a role in quantum sensing and metrology by enhancing the precision of measurements. By modulating the phase or frequency of laser beams used in interferometry setups, AOMs enable high-resolution measurements of physical quantities such as distance, time, and magnetic fields. These advancements have applications in gravitational wave detection, precision navigation, and quantum-enhanced imaging.
Material Processing
Enhancing precision in engraving systems: the role of ultra short pulse lasers and AO devices…
The use of ultra short pulse lasers whose duration is in the picoseconds or even femtosecond range, is quite common in engraving systems. Since the duration of the energy is also short, this limits the among of heat on the workpiece and hence perform precise removal of the extra material. AO devices are widely used here as pulse pickers. In fact, they are introduced into the high repetition rate laser systems in order to extract a single or several pulses to have a control on the average optical power and hence ensuring a precise control on the energy delivered to the workpiece.
Optimizing material processing: the power of q-switched lasers and ao devices…
Q-switched lasers are also involved in material processing due to their ability of delivering high peak power pulsed lasers.They are usually nanosecond pulses and these can be produced by introducing an AO Q-Switch inside the laser cavity: when the AO device is ON, it introduces losses inside the laser cavity by diffracting the light out of the cavity and hence suppressing the lasing effect. There is then an accumulation of energy inside the cavity and when the AO device (no diffraction) is OFF, a high intense laser pulse is generated.
LiDAR
The versatility of LiDAR technology…
LiDAR is an acronym derived from radar but uses light instead of radio waves. As sensing technology, it can be used to measure distances, create 3D maps and collect information on shape or characteristics of surfaces or objects. LIDAR systems are used in various sectors: autonomous vehicles, meteorology, wind turbines and the list is non-exhaustive.
LiDAR : enhancing wind turbine performance…
Let’s take wind turbine for instance where the LiDAR’s role is to measure the speed of the wind as well as its direction and transmit the information to the control system allowing the turbine and the blades to adjust appropriately to the weather conditions. Here, the principle of operation is to send light in a certain direction and thanks to the natural impurities present in the air, the light is reflected and then collected for processing to determine the wind’s speed and direction. To achieve this, we need to differentiate between the transmitted and reference beam. This can be done by passing one of two beams into an AOFS (Acousto optic frequency shifter) which will impose a frequency shift.
Optical Tweezers
Optical tweezers: a tool for microscopic manipulation…
An optical tweezer is a scientific instrument that uses a focused laser beam to provide an attractive or repulsive force on microscopic particles. The focused beam in the tweezers creates optical traps such that the tiny particles can be held, moved and easily manipulated. AO devices have got a large contribution in this domain. When the RF frequency is tuned on AO devices, the output diffracted beam’s position changes. It is this feature that is widely used in the optical tweezers.
Precision control with AODs…
Indeed, the AODs are used to steer the laser beam precisely and rapidly, enabling optical traps to be repositioned with high accuracy and facilitating the manipulation of particles or the tracking of dynamic biological processes.
Multiplexing capabilities…
In addition, several frequencies can be injected at a time and as a result, a single beam is split into multiple diffracted beams and hence creating an array of optical traps simultaneously. This allows to trap and manipulate several particles at the same time, hence improving the efficiency of experiments.
Hyperspectral imaging
Unlocking insights: the role of aotfs in hyperspectral imaging…
AOTFs are employed in hyperspectral imaging systems to acquire spectral information from each pixel in an image. By tuning the AOTF, different wavelengths of light can be selectively transmitted, allowing the generation of hyperspectral images with spatial and spectral information.
Hyperspectral imaging has applications in remote sensing, environmental monitoring, agricultural inspection, biomedical imaging, and surveillance.
Lightsheet microscopy
Illuminating biology: lightsheet microscopy unveiled…
Lightsheet microscopy is an advanced imaging technique used in the field of biology and biomedical research. It is particularly well suited for capturing 3D images of biological samples, including living cells and tissues with minimal photodamage and high spatial and temporal resolution.
Light sheet microscopy works on the principle of illuminating a thin sheet light through the sample, allowing for rapid imaging of biological processes.
Confocal microscopy
Confocal microscopy: visualizing 3D structures…
Confocal microscopy is an imaging technique which is used in various field including medical, biology and material science. It is valuable for visualizing complex 3D structures and dynamic processes within the samples. The principle of operation is based on the selective focusing on a specific plane of interest while eliminating out of focus light from other planes. This technique relies on the use of a pinhole to clock unwanted light, resulting in an optical sectioning and improved image quality compared to traditional microscopy.
Enhanced laser control with AOTFs…
For both above mentioned techniques, AOTFs (Acousto optic tunable filters) are commonly used to perform intensity modulation on several lasers simultaneously or individually. The AO devices also help to switch from one laser to another. These operations are done quickly due to the fact that there are no mechanical moving parts inside the AO device.