Laser beam profile deformation effect during Bragg acousto-optic interaction: a non-paraxial approximation

Abstract

It is commonly known that the spatial profiles of the diffracted light beams during Bragg acousto-optic interaction are distorted due to the Bragg angle selection mechanism. All the conventional studies on this effect use the paraxial approximation. But this approximation should be amended when the incident angle of the light is large enough that the diffracted light waves do not propagate closely along the optic axis of the acousto-optic diffraction system. By using a spatial Fourier transform approach, we rigorously study the light beam profile deformation effect of the diffracted light during the Bragg acousto-optic interaction beyond the paraxial approximation. Starting from the wave equation, a set of coupled-wave equations is derived to depict the acousto-optic effect. Analytic solutions that describe the profiles of the diffracted light are derived from the acousto-optic coupled-wave equations. From the solutions, differences can be found between the ones with and without paraxial approximation.