Following are the results from RF driver and AOM characterisation.

• Attachment #1 shows the results from  characterisation of Brimrose RF driver . The RF power and frequency are measured on Agilent spectrum analyser. A 30 dB attenuator was also used in the path from RF driver to spectrum analyser. This attenuation value is taken care in RF power output calculation. The RF driver has two BNC connectors labelled as “Modulation” and “Frequency” , located on the front panel. Varying the modulation input (in the range 0 V to 1 V) changes the RF output power from the RF driver as shown in attachment #1 (a). The maximum RF output power is about 0.6 W and the input RF power to the AOM is limited to this value as exceeding the same might cause damage to the AOM. Varying the frequency input (in the range 0 V to 10 V) changed the RF frequency from the RF driver as shown in attachment #1 (b). The AOM centre frequency is at 80 MHz with a frequency shift range of 8 MHz.

• Attachment #2 and #3 shows the output power from the zeroth order and first order port of the AOM when the frequency input voltage to the RF driver (thus the RF frequency from the driver) is varied. The output power from the first order port is maximum (output power from zeroth order is minimum) when the frequency is about 78.8 MHz.  As expected, the power in the zeroth order port is completely transferred to the first order port. This happens when the frequency input voltage to the RF driver is about 8.8 V.

• Attachment #4 and #5 shows the output power from the zeroth order port of the AOM when the Modulation input voltage to the RF driver (thus the RF power from the driver) is varied. The output power from the first order port is maximum (output power from zeroth order is minimum) when the RF power to the AOM is maximum. This happens when the modulation input voltage to the RF driver is 1 V.

• Attachment #5 shows the diffraction efficiency to the first order port (we use output power from first order port for the heterodyne measurement) as a function of frequency and RF power. The diffraction efficiency is calculated from the ratio of Power in first order port to the input power to the AOM.The power at the input end of AOM is 1.29 mW. So the percentage value calculated includes the insertion loss ( as per data sheet : 3-4 dB for the first order port ) as well . So the conclusion is , inorder to get maximum diffraction efficiency to the first order port of AOM, we should supply RF power of about 0.6 W at 78.8 MHz . If we are using the Brimrose driver, this can be set by giving modulation input voltage of 1 V and frequency input voltage of 8.8 V.