Wide-band acoustooptic deflector with an optimized system of opposed-comb LiNbO3:Ti transducers

An investigation was made of an acoustooptic Bragg-type waveguide deflector made of a Y-cut lithium niobate crystal and characterized by a working frequency band 200–380 MHz. An inhomogeneous system of opposed-comb (interdigital) converters was optimized on the basis of preliminary calculations so as to ensure that the amplitude-frequency characteristic of the deflector had a horizontal plateau in the working frequency range. The experimentally determined amplitude-frequency characteristic of the optimized system of opposed-comb transducers agreed well with the results of calculations. The amplitude-frequency characteristic of the deflector as a whole had a horizontal plateau between 205 and 350 MHz where deviations from the average value did not exceed 10.7 dB. The resolution of the deflector was 1.8 MHz.