Fiber-coupled AOMs offer several significant advantages over traditional free-space AOMs, making them well-suited for applications involving fiber optic systems. Here's a detailed breakdown of their key benefits:

l Reduced Insertion Loss: A crucial advantage of fiber-coupled AOMs is minimized light loss. In free-space AOMs, light needs to be collimated (made parallel) before interacting with the AOM crystal and then collimated again for coupling back into an optical fiber. These collimation processes can introduce significant light loss due to inefficiencies and misalignment. Fiber-coupled AOMs eliminate this issue. The light beam remains confined within the fiber core throughout its interaction with the AOM crystal. This significantly reduces insertion loss and leads to a stronger overall light signal at the output.

l Improved Alignment: Free-space AOMs require precise alignment between the light source (laser), the AOM crystal, and the output coupler. This alignment process can be complex and time-consuming, especially for high-precision applications. Fiber-coupled AOMs come pre-aligned within the sealed package. The light source (fiber) is directly coupled to the AOM material, eliminating the need for external alignment procedures. This simplifies system integration and reduces potential alignment errors that could degrade performance.

l Higher Power Handling: Fiber-coupled AOMs can often handle higher optical power compared to free-space AOMs. This is because the fiber core protects the light beam from damage within the AOM crystal. In free-space AOMs, high-power light beams can potentially damage the crystal due to localized heating effects. The confinement of the light beam within the fiber core in fiber-coupled AOMs mitigates this risk, allowing them to handle higher power light sources effectively.