A three-dimensional acousto-optic deflector

Acousto-optic deflectors (AODs) are used across physics, microscopy, and laser engineering, providing fast, precise, and non-mechanical control of light. While AODs support multiplexing in one and two dimensions, no analogous device has existed for three-dimensional control, limiting rapid focus tuning and beam shaping. We demonstrate a three-dimensional AOD system for multiplexed beam control with high speed and large dynamic range. We achieve this by combining a double-pass AOD with a diffraction grating to realize a frequency-tunable lens. This enables axial scanning over 22 Rayleigh ranges with switching rates up to 100 kHz, while simultaneous multi-tone driving produces arbitrary multi-focal beam profiles. By integrating the axial module with lateral deflection, we generate reconfigurable 3D optical patterns, providing a platform for multiplexed 3D beam control, with potential applications from high-resolution microscopy to scalable neutral-atom quantum technologies.