Application of acousto-optic interactions in anisotropic media for control of light radiation

The paper examines regular trends of light diffraction by ultrasound propagating in crystals possessing strong anisotropy of elastic and optic properties. The research is also concentrated on applications of the acousto-optic interactions in modem instruments providing control of optical radiation. Light diffraction is examined in the particular case of the crystalline materials such as tellurium dioxide in which the acoustic obliquity angles, i.e. the angles between phase and group velocities of ultrasound may appear as large as a few dozens of degrees. The analysis is also carried out for media characterized by optic anisotropy manifesting itself together the elastic anisotropy. The elastic and optic anisotropy provides observation in the crystals of the close to collinear regime of light diffraction that does not exist in the isotropic materials. The paper presents descriptions of new modifications of close to collinear tunable acousto-optic filters developed on base of tellurium dioxide. Influence of the anisotropy on the operation parameters of the designed instruments is also discussed in the paper.