Compact acousto-optic modulator operating in the purely Raman-Nath diffraction regime as a phase modulator in FM spectroscopy

We report fabrication of a new acousto-optic modulator (AOM-RN) operating purely in the Raman Nath diffraction regime. This device can be used as an external phase modulator in frequency-modulation (FM) optical heterodyne spectroscopy for fast and broadband frequency control of diode lasers. The AOM-RN design is significantly simplified, and its dimensions are minimised due to a decrease (by almost an order of magnitude in comparison with the existing AOMs) in the acousto-optic interaction length and the absence of impedance matching circuit. The FM spectroscopy based on AOM-RN makes it possible to analyse both absorption and dispersion properties of optical resonances under study; this possibility is shown by the example of saturated-absorption resonances in cesium vapour. The possibility of detecting coherent population trapping resonances using FM spectroscopy with AOM-RN as an external phase modulator is experimentally demonstrated.