Rapid acoustooptic tuning of a dye laser

Rapid tuning of a dye laser over a large wavelength range has been achieved by inserting an acoustooptic deflector between the dye cell and a diffraction grating. The deflector and grating combination serve as the tuning element. TeO(2), which has an anomalously low sound velocity, has been used to demonstrate acoustooptical tuning over a broad spectral range. Theoretically, tuning rates greater than 100 nm/microsec can be achieved over a wavelength range of up to 35 nm. The experimental data have been used to verify the analytical aspects of the beam deflector and diffraction grating configuration.