Acousto-optic modulator for IR diode laser radiation

A new amorphous Si20Te80 glass alloy with high optical transparency has bee n synthesized and investigated. A modulator based on the amorphous Si-Te ac ousto-optic cell and operating in the mid-IR region has been manufactured a nd tested using CO2 (10.6 mum), He-Ne (3.39 mum) gas lasers and 3.3 mum (ba sed on InGaAsSb/InAsSbP double heterostructure), and 1.87 mum (based on GaI nAsSb) diode lasers. The modulator response time appeared to be not more than 0.3 mus which toge ther with the high modulation efficiency (up to 90%) make possible use in m any applications, e.g. for modulation of CW laser radiation, for optical ga s sensor applications, for diode laser spectroscopy to make mode selection of wavelength selection within a lasing pulse.