Characterization and alignment of acousto-optic devices using digital tailored RF waveforms

Acousto-optic (AO) devices are used in a variety of light control and processing applications in different environments, including laboratory conditions and the field environment, as well as on air- and space-borne platforms. Accurate alignment and calibration of AO deflectors and tunable filters is crucial for correct operation and to achieve specified performances of those devices. We describe a simple routine to test and align AO devices with a programmable RF waveform generator. Using specially tailored RF waveforms as test signals enables single-shot measurement of an AO device's diffraction efficiency as a function of the applied RF signal frequency and amplitude. MATLAB code is available to implement the testing procedure and application demonstrations for an AO deflector and two types of AO tunable filters.