Broadband acousto-optic deflectors are efficient beam-control devices with advantages， such as high speed， high precision， and no inera， and they are widely used in many emerging fields. This article explains the working principle of acousto-optic deflectors， discusses the technical approaches adopted to improve the working bandwith of acousto-optic deflectors， and proposes various transducer ultrasonic-tracking technology solutions. In addition， the latest research progress of broadband acousto-optic deflectors are reviewed， and the main application directions and prospects of broadband acousto-optic deflectors are presented.