The text describes various types of optical choppers that use simple mechanical principles to modulate the intensity of an incoming light or laser beam in a periodic manner.

Some key points about these devices include:

1. Cost-effectiveness: Optical choppers can be significantly cheaper than electronically controlled modulation techniques, making them attractive options for certain applications where high precision is not paramount.

2. Reduced nonlinear effects: Unlike other types of modulators that may exhibit incomplete transmission or beam distortions due to nonlinearities in their operation principles, simple mechanical optical chippers tend to produce more predictable and stable output signals.

In terms of operational characteristics:

1. Wavelength independence: The basic principle behind these devices – either allowing a light beam to pass through unimpeded or blocking it completely with an optically opaque object (such as a blade) - makes them suitable for modulating optical power across virtually any wavelength range without significant loss in performance.

2. Low distortion during transmission: When not actively chopping the input signal, these devices will typically cause minimal distortions to the original waveform due mainly to reflections off internal surfaces rather than any intrinsic non-linearity within their own operation mechanism itself;

3. Periodic modulation capabilities: The primary function of an optical chopper is generally speaking one related specifically towards periodically modulating (i.e., turning on/off or varying at regular intervals) some aspect(s) of the input light beam being processed; this could be its overall intensity, phase etcetera depending upon specific requirements and design specifications involved.

Some examples of applications where these devices might find use include:

1. Laser-based measurement systems: In such cases, precise control over laser power is often essential to achieve accurate measurements.

2. Optical communication links: Periodic modulation can help in mitigating effects like optical fiber nonlinearities or signal degradation due to long-distance transmission.

Overall, while more advanced electronic techniques may offer higher precision and flexibility under certain circumstances; for many applications requiring simple yet effective means of periodically modulating light intensities without breaking the bank (literally!), mechanical choppers remain an attractive option worth considering seriously.

128000 mhz tuning fork frequency