Piezo-based FSM platforms support laser-beam control

S-335 steering mirror platforms provide precise angular tip/tilt motion of the top platform around two orthogonal axes. These flexure-guided, electroceramic-driven systems can provide higher accelerations than other actuators, enabling step response times in the submillisecond range, with frictionless backlash-free motion. The single pivot-point design also prevents the drawback of polarization rotation, which is common with conventional 2-axis stacked systems—for example, galvo scanners.

Piezo motion-based mechanisms provide a variety of features that are sought after in life-science and medical engineering applications, such sterile ceramic designs and lubricant-free drives, the company notes, citing as examples endoscopy and bio-imaging of the eye. You can view a video of a fast steering mirror/piezo drive for laser eye surgery here and also read the article “Advances in Piezo Mechanics Aid Eye Surgery.”

Integrated EDM (electrical discharge machining) flexure-based motion amplifiers provide a tip/tilt angle up to 35 mrad, equal to an optical deflection angle of 70 mrad (4°). ID chip support allows for fast start-up and a simple data exchange between tip/tilt platforms and controllers.

PI piezo steering mirrors are based on a parallel-kinematics design with coplanar rotational axes and a single moving platform driven by two pairs of differential actuators. The advantage is jitter-free, multi-axis motion with temperature stability. Compared to stacked (two-stage) mirror scanners, the parallel-kinematics design provides symmetrical dynamic performance in both axes with faster response and better linearity in a smaller package.

http://www.pi-usa.us/products/PDF_Data/S335_Fast_Tip-Tilt_Platform.pdf