Acousto-optic system having phase-shifting reflector

A beam positioner for deflecting a beam path, along which a diffracted beam of linearly polarized laser light is propagatable, within a two-dimensional scan field, the beam positioner comprising:

• a first acousto-optic (AO) deflector (AOD) operative to diffract the laser light so as to deflect the beam path within a first one-dimensional scan field extending along a first axis of the two-dimensional scan field;
• a second AOD operative to diffract the laser light so as to deflect the beam path within a second one-dimensional scan field extending along a second axis of the two-dimensional scan field;
• and
• at least one phase-shifting reflector arranged between the first AOD and the second AOD and within the beam path along which the beam of laser light is propagatable from the first AOD, wherein the at least one phase-shifting reflector is operative to effect a phase shift between S and P components in the beam of laser light incident thereupon,
• wherein the first AOD, the second AOD and the at least one phase-shifting reflector are arranged such that the first one-dimensional scan field is incident upon the at least one phase-shifting reflector, and such that the first one-dimensional scan field is projectable onto the second AOD from the at least one phase-shifting reflector in a manner that the first axis of the first one-dimensional scan field is not parallel to the second axis of the second one-dimensional scan field,
• wherein each of the first AOD and the second AOD is configured and operative to deflect the beam path along only one axis of the two-dimensional scan field.