The present invention provides an ultraviolet acoustooptic device including:
a radio-frequency signal input part; a transducer unit for converting a radio-frequency
signal into a mechanical vibration; and an acoustooptic medium whose optical characteristic
varies according to the mechanical vibration. In the ultraviolet acoustooptic device,
light entering the acoustooptic medium is ultraviolet light having a wavelength
of 380 nm or shorter, and the acoustooptic medium is formed of an oxide single
crystal containing at least boron as a component of its unit cell, a LiNbO3
crystal, or a LiNbO3 crystal doped with MgO. Thus, an acoustooptic device
can be obtained in which no laser damage nor optical damage is caused, and an ultraviolet
acoustooptic device and an optical imaging apparatus using the same can be provided
that do not necessarily require to be water-cooled.
