Patent ID: 6563844
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
A method of controllably modulating the transmission of a randomly polarized laser beam comprising the steps of:(a) providing a first acousto-optic modulator having a first Raman Nath or near Raman Nath interaction length for a laser beam at a first linear polarization; (b) providing a second orthogonal acousto-optic modulator having a second Raman Nath or near Raman Nath interaction length for a laser beam at a second linear polarization different from said first linear polarization; and (c) cascading said second acousto-optic modulator with said first acousto-optic modulator in a beam path of said randomly polarized laser beam in an optically stacked configuration in either one of a discrete construction having a common heat sink support and fused silica substrate supporting each acousto-optic modulator, each thermally and mechanically- mounted to the common heat sink, or an integrated construction having an acousto-optic bulk material, wherein each acousto-optic modulator is formed within the same acousto-optic bulk material, such that the modulations thereby of said randomly polarized laser beam do not interfere with one another and sum incoherently, and the distance said randomly polarized laser beam travels through said first and second acousto-optic modulators is effectively confined to the sum of the respective interaction lengths thereof.