An acousto-optical component, in particular for use in the beam path of an optical arrangment, preferably of a microscope, with a crystal (3) for the passage of light, wherein sound waves are generated via an electrical transducer (4) and passed through the crystal (3), and wherein the sound waves passing through the crystal (3) affect the optical properties of the crystal (3) and therefore the light passing through the crystal (3), is characterized in that, to exert a variable influence on the light passing through the crystal (3), the sound waves passing through the crystal (3), or the acoustic field in the crystal (3), are/is variable.