Glossary
- Bragg angle ( acousto optic ): in Bragg configuration, angle between the incident rays and the equiphase planes of the ultrasonic wave propagating in the acousto optic crystal ; this angle is the opposite of the angle that the rays diffracted by the acousto optic crystal make with the equiphase planes
- Wavelength ( of a light wave ): distance between two consecutive identical states of the electric ( or magnetic ) field
- Acoustic frequency: frequency of an acoustic wave
- Acoustic velocity: propagation speed of an acoustic wave
- Acousto optic effect: diffraction of light in a material in which propagates an acoustic wave generating periodic variations in refractive index
- Diffraction efficiency: for a diffracted light wave (diffraction by a grating, an acousto optic crystal or whatever diffracting component), ratio of the diffracted wave intensity over the incident wave intensity
- Dynamic contrast ( acousto opic ): for an acousto optic modulator, contrast of the modulated diffracted beam (limited by the modulation frequency)