Light diffraction by surface acoustic waves in KDP-type crystals

A review of all the basic geometries of the interactions of light with surface acoustic waves and the various contributions to the diffracted fields in these geometries is presented. The distribution of the light diffracted by surface acoustic waves depends on the type of the surface wave, the geometry of interaction and the physical properties of the medium. A theoretical analysis, based on numerical calculations, makes it possible to determine which interaction mechanisms are taking part in this phenomenon and which components of the surface wave amplitude contribute to the intensity of the diffracted light. For this reason it is of interest to study, at the same time, all the basic geometries of interaction. By way of example, the results of numerical calculations and experimental investigations are given for the basic cases of light interacting with a surface acoustic wave propagating in three crystals of the KDP type.