Laser beam modulation using corner reflector and deep diffraction grating

Abstract

A new scheme of the power modulator of laser beam is based on a corner-reflector unit with a relief diffraction grating that is placed on a plane of the unit and has a relief depth of several wavelengths of the laser radiation. It is shown that angular oscillations of the unit make it possible to implement modulation of the zero-order diffraction beam at a modulation depth of almost 100% and a relatively high linearity of the modulation characteristic that is reached at modulation depths of greater than 50%.