Development and Characterization of a Square Tunable Acoustic Gradient Index of Refraction Lens

Abstract

The need for rapid and accurate deflection of laser beams has recently come to prominence as an important facet of research and industry. While many methods have been proposed, most are lacking in one way or another. Tunable Acoustic Gradient index of refraction (TAG) lenses have developed a significant market impact for laser focusing and imaging, but have not yet been utilized for laser deflection and scanning. This paper explores the development of a square TAG lens which could be used as an extremely fast (>100 kHz) scanner. An improved square lens design was designed and built, and different tests were run to explore configurations. The effective regime of the lens in terms of frequencies and voltages was determined, as were the reflective properties of different materials in the resonance chamber. Additionally, tentative exploration revealed the opportunity for further study of arbitrary pattern generation and two dimensional scanning. The results of these studies present a clear path forward for use of a square TAG lens as a beam deflector, with the possibility of further applications as well.