Multiplexing acousto-optic modulators to steer polychromatic laser beams

摘要

We demonstrate that two copropagating laser beams at different wavelengths may be deflected through the same angle by a conventional acousto-optic modulator driven with multitone radio frequency signals. The beams are effectively decoupled, permitting the modulation of one beam without affecting the other. To demonstrate the multiplexing technique, we modulate an ultrafast pulsed laser that copropagates with an unmodulated continuous wave laser in order to perform lock-in detection of weak four-wave mixing signals while simultaneously implementing active interferometric stabilization. Multiplexed acousto-optic modulation permits a broad range of polychromatic laser applications. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America