An acousto-optic image pickup device disclosed in the present invention comprises the following: a drive unit that generates a drive signal formed by burst waves configured with a repetition of a plurality of reference waves an ultrasonic wave source that receives the drive signal and outputs to the inside of an object ultrasonic waves which are in accordance with the drive signal an acousto-optic medium section which has an acoustic opening and in which scattered ultrasonic waves generated as a result of the ultrasonic waves scattering inside of the object enter the acousto-optic medium from the acoustic opening and are propagated therein a wedge light-source that emits a wedge beam of light of a single color that enters the acousto-optic medium section in a non-parallel direction with respect to the propagation direction of the scattered ultrasonic waves, where the light intensity of the wedge beam of light changes with the passing of time an image forming optical system in which incident is diffraction light generated due to the wedge beam of light diffracting in the acousto-optic medium section according to a refraction index distribution generated in the acousto-optic medium section by the propagation of scattered ultrasonic waves, and in which an image is formed by converging the diffraction light and an image pickup unit for picking up the image formed by the image forming optical system and outputting an electrical signal.Linvention concerne un dispositif de capture dimage acousto-optique qui comprend des éléments suivants : une unité de commande qui produit un signal de commande formé par des ondes dimpulsion configurées avec une répétition dune pluralité dondes de référence une source dondes ultrasonores qui reçoit le signal de commande et émet vers lintérieur dun objet des ondes ultrasonores qui sont en accord avec le signal de commande une section de milieu acousto-optique qui comprend une ouverture acoustique et dans laquelle les ondes ultrasonores di
