JPH01149029A - Acoustooptic element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily and inexpensively constitute an optical system by providing a case frame with a stage, where an acoustooptic medium is mounted and whose outside periphery is partially formed into an arc, and a roll brought into contact with the arc part of this stage so that they can be freely rotated and adjusting the Bragg angle by an acoustooptic element itself. CONSTITUTION:An acoustooptic medium 1 is mounted on the upper face of a stage 3 having an arc part 3a in a part of the outside periphery. The stage 3 is supported freely rotatably in a horizontal plane and is stored in a case frame 4, and a roll 5 which is brought into contact with the arc part 3a of the stage 3 and has a diameter shorter than the radius of the arc part 3a is freely rotatably attached to the case frame 4. Thus, since the stage is rotated by rotation of the roll and the Bragg angle can be adjusted by the acoustooptic element itself, the stage does not require a rotation angle control function for adjustment of the Bragg angle and the optical system is easily and inexpensively constituted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an acousto-optic device for modulating and deflecting a laser beam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, acousto-optic elements have come to be used in laser-based light seeding devices such as laser printers and laser scanners because they can relatively easily and stably modulate and deflect laser light.

Conventionally, this type of acousto-optic element has had a configuration as shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, 11 is an acousto-optic medium;
2 is a piezoelectric transducer attached to one surface of the acousto-optic medium 11, 13 is a connection terminal to an external circuit, 14 is a case frame that holds these, and 15 is a lead that connects the piezoelectric transducer 12 and the connection terminal 13. It is a line.

Finally, the operation of the acousto-optic element configured as described above will be described below. The high frequency electric signal inputted through the connection terminal 13' is inputted to the piezoelectric transducer 12 through the lead wire 15. The input high-frequency electrical signal is converted into mechanical vibration by the piezoelectric transducer 12 and is radiated into the acousto-optic medium 11 as an ultrasonic wave. Here, when laser light is incident at an appropriate angle (Bragg angle) with respect to the wavefront of the ultrasonic wave, the light is diffracted by the acousto-optic effect, and the laser light can be modulated or deflected.

Confinement point that the invention aims to solve In such a conventional configuration, when configuring an optical system, the stage for fixing the acousto-optic element has a rotation angle adjustment function for adjusting the Bragg angle. The problem was that the optical system was bulky and expensive.

The present invention solves these problems, and aims to provide an acousto-optic element that can constitute an inexpensive optical system.

Means for Solving the Problems Ninthly, the present invention provides a rotatable stage mounted with an acousto-optic medium and having a partially arcuate outer periphery, and an arcuate portion of the stage. and a roller rotatably attached to the case frame and in contact with the case frame.

Effect According to the above configuration, by rotating the roller, the stage equipped with the acousto-optic element can be rotated.
Since the acousto-optic element itself can adjust the plug angle, the stage supporting the acousto-optic element does not need a rotation angle adjustment function to adjust the plug angle when configuring the optical system. Moreover, the optical system can be constructed easily and inexpensively.

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an acousto-optic device showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is an acousto-optic medium, 2 is a piezoelectric transducer attached to one surface of the acousto-optic medium 1,
This acousto-optic medium 1 is mounted on the upper surface of a stage 3 having an arcuate portion 3a whose outer periphery is partially arcuate. Further, the stage 3 is rotatably supported and housed in a case frame 4 in a horizontal plane, and the case frame 4 is in contact with an arcuate portion 3a of the stage 3 and has a radius of the arcuate portion 3a. A roller 5 having a small diameter is rotatably attached.

Reference numeral 6 indicates a connection terminal to an external circuit which is attached to the case frame 4 so as to protrude outward, and 7 is a lead wire that connects this connection terminal to the piezoelectric transducer 2.

The masterpieces of the acousto-optic device having the above configuration will be described below. , t) The piezoelectric transducer 2 is driven by a high-frequency electric signal input from the connection terminal 6 through the lead wire 7 to radiate ultrasonic waves into the acousto-optic medium l, and the ultrasonic wave is emitted from the fill of the case frame 4. A laser beam is applied in a direction intersecting the ultrasonic propagation portion inside the acousto-optic medium 1 . Next, when the roller 5 is rotated, the stage 3 in contact with the roller 5 is rotated. In this case, these rotation angle ratios are determined by the loaf 5 and stage 30 radius ratios, so
If the radius of the stage 3 is made sufficiently larger than the radius of the roller 5, minute angle adjustments of the stage 3 will be possible.Therefore, the optical system will be configured such that the black angle can be adjusted by the acousto-optic element itself. In this case, there is no need for a stage with a rotation angle adjustment function, and the optical system is simple and can be constructed at low cost.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, an acousto-optic medium is mounted,
By installing a stage whose outer periphery is partially arcuate and a roller that contacts the arcuate portion of the stage in a rotatable manner on the case frame, it is possible to adjust the black angle using the acousto-optic element itself. Furthermore, the optical system can be constructed easily and inexpensively.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an acousto-optic device showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional acousto-optic device. 1... Acousto-optic medium, 2... Piezoelectric transducer, 3...
Stage, 3a...Circular a-shaped portion, 4...Case frame, 5...Roller. Agent Yoshihiro Morimoto

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An acousto-optic medium, a piezoelectric transducer attached to one surface of the acousto-optic medium, a stage on which the acousto-optic medium is mounted and whose outer periphery is partially arcuate, and the stage is rotatable. An acousto-optic element comprising: a case frame for holding; and a roller that is in contact with the arcuate portion of the stage and rotatably attached to the case frame.