Crystal Technology, Inc.

Crystal Corporation

John D Kump

Dieter Hans Jundt

Richard A Coppock

Arron Campi

A system for controlling an acousto-optic device includes an acousto-optic device having an acoustic transducer and configured to store a number of design specific parameters for a parametric tuning algorithm. the system includes a frequency synthesizer coupled to the acousto-optic device and configured to provide a radio frequency tuning signal to the acousto-optic device via the acoustic transducer. A programmable controller is coupled to the acousto-optic device and the frequency synthesizer and wherein is configured to read the design specific parameters and to receive a second number of parameters comprising one or more of environmental parameters, setup specific parameters and user specified performance parameters. the programmable controller is also configured to apply the design specific parameters and the other parameters to the design specific parametric tuning algorithm to select a radio frequency tuning signal that optimizes a user specified performance parameter.

Frequency synthesis for acousto-optic devices

AOTF controller that monitors output power of a plurality of wavelengths of an AOTF and scans the frequency of corresponding RF input signals to an AOTF acoustic transducer and searches for the RF frequency corresponding to each desired wavelength that provides maximum optical output for each wavelength. The controller includes a plurality of sensor inputs for monitoring the power of each wavelength output from the AOTF, and alternatively, also monitors other AOTF parameters such as temperature and/or reads AOTF identification performance data that can be stored in a EPROM on a AOTF housing. The controller includes facility for input of modulation data, and in response to the data modulates the corresponding wavelength parameter such as power. A USB bus is provided for input of programming to the controller, and for output of performance data from the controller.

Acousto-optic tunable filter controller

An electrode has an apodization ratio greater than one along a direction parallel to an interaction length of the electrode. The electrode also has a top edge defined by an aperture function Y(x). The aperture function Y(x) has no points of discontinuity along the interaction length of the electrode. An area centroid of the electrode is at a midpoint of the interaction length.

Electrode with a balanced centroid, soft edges and an apodization ratio greater than one

A technique of stabilizing the output of an acoustooptic modulator. A laser passes a light beam through the acoustooptic modulator. A driver circuit connects to a drive electrode of the acoustooptic modulator. RF generators deliver drive power at a first carrier frequency and compensation power at second and third carrier frequencies, one higher and the other lower than the first carrier frequency. The driver circuit modulates the drive power and the compensation power such that compensating acoustic energy induced in the acoustooptic modulator complements drive acoustic energy, and the spatial content of the drive acoustic energy. The combined drive power and the complementing compensating power maintain the spatial thermal energy distribution inside the acoustooptic modulator substantially constant. Consequently, beam steering and thermal ellipticity are stabilized and remain substantially constant throughout the operating range of the modulator.

Technique for electronically stabilizing the ouputs of acoustooptic

A system for electronically powering an acoustooptic device. A radio-frequency (RF) generator supplies RF drive power at a drive carrier frequency. A signal source delivers a modulating signal. An RF modulator modulates the RF drive power with the modulating signal. Two compensating RF power generators supply high-frequency and low-frequency compensating power at frequencies greater than and less than the drive carrier frequency. Operational amplifiers and modulators modulate the compensating power with signals derived from the signal source such that the modulated compensating power is the complement of the modulated RF drive power. A summer combines the modulated RF drive power and compensating power to drive the acoustooptic device such that the spatial thermal energy distribution inside the acoustooptic device remains substantially constant.

Growing community of inventors

Hillsborough, CA, United States of America

John D Kump