Efficient double-filtering with a single acousto-optic tunable filter.

We describe an efficient double-filtering method that uses a single acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) to improve the spectral resolution and intrinsic sidelobes for the spectral domain analysis systems. Double filtering with a single AOTF is realized by applying a unique feedback scheme based on the fact that incident light can be diffracted into two orthogonally polarized beams of light by an AOTF. Our theoretical explanation attempts to address and satisfy the main prerequisite for the proposed idea. The experimental results confirm that the proposed method achieves a 20% to 30% improvement in spectral resolution and 10 dB suppression of sidelobes with minimized light loss for the extraordinary incident light. We believe that the results of using an AOTF are comparable to the results achieved with two AOTFs in tandem.