REAL TIME ACOUSTO-OPTICAL SPECTRUM ANALYZER THROUGH UNGUIDED LIGHT-SURFACE ACOUSTIC WAVES INTERACTION.

An acousto-optical spectrum analyzer is described, based on the linear relationship between frequency and angular deviation of an acousto-optical cell. A side-entry internal reflection geometry of interaction is used with surface acoustic waves propagating on a Y-Z LiNbO//3 sample. A CCD photodiode array is the detecting device, allowing 300 kHz resolution and 50 MHz bandwidth.