Fast steering mirrors play an essential role in many industries. These components are responsible for controlling the direction of light or lasers within a piece of advanced machinery.
Modern manufacturers have created many types of fast steering mirrors, but opting to utilize a miniaturized version of this vital component could offer your company some unique benefits.
1. Prevent Polarization Rotation
Polarization is a problem that all machines utilizing standard fast steering mirrors must deal with. Polarization can occur when the geometry of the light's oscillations is changed. Changes are constantly occurring as a result of the movement of the fast steering mirror and the alternating angles at which these mirrors are reflecting light within a machine.
Light is classified as a type of transverse wave, so the oscillations need to remain stable to prevent distortion. In miniaturized fast steering mirrors, there is a single pivot point. This reduces the movement of the mirror without compromising its effectiveness. The single pivot point eliminates polarization rotation to improve performance.
2. Frictionless Motion
Eliminating friction is important when working with light waves. Any friction that takes place while light waves are being redirected could change the light's path of travel. Miniaturized fast steering mirrors offer a more stable platform through which light waves can be controlled.
The top platform of a miniaturized mirror tilts through flexure. This flexure allows for greater control over the distribution and angular direction of light waves, and it also creates smoother movements that eliminate friction. Opting to work with a small fast steering mirror could help you prevent the problems that friction might cause.
3. Compact Design
You don't have to sacrifice quality if you need to utilize a fast steering mirror in smaller pieces of equipment. Microscopy, optics, and photonics are just a few of the industries turning to miniaturized mirrors to help control light.
The compact design of a miniaturized fast steering mirror features a parallel base for the mirrors within the unit. This parallel setup allows for multi-axes motion and temperature stability that can match, or exceed, larger mirror units. You get optimal performance in a much smaller package when you rely on a miniaturized fast steering mirror.
Carefully consider whether your company could benefit from reduced friction, the elimination of polarization rotation, or smaller components to control light. If the answer is yes, then you need to invest in a miniaturized fast steering mirror for your equipment.