Physik Instrumente (PI) has released the S-331 fast tip/tilt platform, the newest piezo steering mirrors in PI’s portfolio. With millisecond response and settling time, and high dynamic linearity, these fast tip/tilt platforms are ideal for precision optics applications in ambient and vacuum environments.
S-331 steering mirror platforms provide precise angular tip/tilt motion of the top platform around two orthogonal axes. These flexure-guided, electro-ceramic driven systems can provide higher accelerations than other actuators, enabling step response times in the sub-millisecond range, with frictionless backlash-free motion.
The single pivot-point design also prevents the drawback of polarisation rotation, which is common with conventional two-axis stacked systems such as galvo scanners. With a tip/tilt angle up to 5mrad and optical deflection angle up to 10mrad, these platforms are ideal for compact mirrors up to 1/2 inch in diameter.
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 excellent 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.
The steering mirrors are powered by 100 per cent ceramic insultated actuators that have a long lifetime, and are not sensitive to humidity or high operating temperatures.