The S-335 fast steering mirror (FSM) from Physik Instrumente (PI) provides fast and high-resolution motion in two degrees of freedom. Based on solid-state piezo drives, it’s well-suited for precise, high-speed laser beam control and high-resolution imaging applications. The S-335’s long angular travel range is made possible by a clever design using motion-amplified piezo actuators, operated in a differential push-pull mode for each axis. Closed-loop control with feedback sensors provides excellent repeatability and accuracy.

The S-335 two-axis tip-tilt mirror can provide 35 mrad of mechanical angular deflection in two axes and 70 mrad optical deflection. For ultra-long lifetime, all PI piezo mirror mounts are equipped with PICMA multilayer piezo stacks that are ceramic-encapsulated and have excelled in 100 billion cycles of life testing for the Mars Rover Space mission.

PI also provides voice-coil driven steering mirrors with larger travel ranges as well as space-qualified fast steering mirrors for LEO satellites.

The S-335 fine steering mirrors can be computer-controlled via a digital nanopositioning motion controller such as the E-727 multi-axis controller series. LabVIEW drivers and MATLAB example code are available for easy integration.

FSMs are used to direct laser light or improve image resolution by correcting errors in a wavefront before it reaches an imaging sensor. Image resolution can also be improved when operated in pixel shift mode, where sub-pixel resolution can be achieved by actively moving the sensor or the light reaching the sensor by fractions of a pixel. Typical application areas include aerospace, optics and photonics, lasers, ophthalmology, optical scanning.

For more information, visit www.pi-usa.us.