Beam Deflectors for Magneto-Optical Recording Heads

Nonmechanical beam deflectors, particularly acousto-optical and electro-optical deflectors, are being considered for the access and tracking functions of a magneto-optic recording head. In this report, the suitability of electro-optic deflectors for these functions is explored. For applications requiring modest deflection, electro.optic deflectors require less power and exhibit higher optical throughput than acousto-optical devices. The first phase of this investigation tests commercially manufactured electro-optic deflectors for optical quality, amount of deflection, and maximum number of resolvable spots. In the second phase, detection of a magneto-optic signal in an optical system using an electro-optical deflector is demonstrated.