A light beam scanning system comprises a wave guide formed of a material allowing propagation of surface acoustic waves therethrough, and a means for generating the surface acoustic waves in the wave guide so that they advance along an optical path of light incident upon the wave guide, and a drive circuit for periodically applying a pulsewise voltage to the surface acoustic wave generating means. The wave guided inside of the wave guide is emitted out of the wave guide at the section where the surface acoustic waves are present by a coupling action of a grating generated by the surface acoustic waves with the guided wave.