Extension of the angular scanning range of the acousto-optic deflector with a two-element phased-array piezoelectric transducer

The acousto-optic deflector with a two-element phased-array piezoelectric transducer is studied at an almost limiting diffraction efficiency. Significant broadening of the working acoustic frequency band (and angular scanning range) relative to the well-studied low-efficiency regime is theoretically predicted and experimentally demonstrated. For the off-axial deflector based on paratellurite (TeO$_2$), a radiation wavelength of 1.06 $\mu$m, and a two-element transducer with a total length of 6 mm, the working frequency band is 17–48 MHz (with the lower frequency determined by the electromechanical properties of the transducer) at an efficiency of no less than 94% of the maximum value.