Talk:Acousto-optic modulator

I changed the sin equation to bring the 2 to the top of the fraction since the distance between the high pressure regions is half the wavelength of the sound waves and m*lamda_light = s sin theta where s is the distance between the high pressure peaks

shifted frequency

A typical frequency shift varies from 27 MHz, for a less-expensive AOM, to 400 MHz, for a state-of-the-art commercial device. In some AOMs, two acoustic waves travel in opposite directions in the material, creating a standing wave. Diffraction from the standing wave does not shift the frequency of the diffracted light. However, due to the standing wave being a modulating grating, the laser beam is AM modulated, which is the equivalent of creating two sidebands at te acoustic frequency.

i dont get it in better devices the frequency shifting is larger? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.130.205.68 (talk) 11:59, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

If you want to shift the frequency, the larger you can do so, the better. 141.5.32.129 (talk) 13:53, 13 August 2012 (UTC)

Terminology

This article says that light deflection is caused by Bragg Diffraction. The Bragg Diffraction article only mentions X-ray diffraction from crystals. So one of the articles needs to modify the definition used. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.250.160.207 (talk) 15:19, 24 February 2015 (UTC)

Why is 3 wave and not 2 wave mixing involved?

In the opening paragraph, it is mentioned that the shift in photons frequency can be thought of as a three wave mixing process between phonons and photons. Why is this a three wave and not a two wave process? I would expect that only a single phonon is required per photon. I would also expect that if two phonons were involved, the frequency would increase by twice the amount the crystal is modulated at. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Whole Oats (talk • contribs) 05:53, 4 February 2020 (UTC)

The number of waves described in the "X-wave mixing" counts the resulting wave. So here the three waves are the incoming light, the acoustic wave in the material, and the exiting light. If there were two phonons involved it would be an example of four-wave mixing. 4.37.154.2 (talk) 18:07, 13 March 2024 (UTC)