Boston Micromachines Corporation (BMC), a provider of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-based deformable mirror (DM) products and adaptive optics systems, introduced today the Reflective Optical Chopper (ROC), a high-performance optical chopper for laser science applications, at Photonics West 2013 taking place 5-7 February at the Moscone Centre in San Francisco, California (US). The ROC offers a frequency range and chopping speed greater than traditional optical choppers without the need to alter the beam size.
Unlike traditional solutions, which require the use of separate chopper wheels at different ranges of frequencies, the ROC can function continuously from sub-hertz speeds up to 100 kilohertz (kHz). Also, the ROC does not require reduction of the size of the beam at higher speeds. In addition, scientists can chop the beam with an arbitrary pattern simply by providing an input signal.
The ROC works as a reflective diffraction grating, chopping the beam by varying between an unpowered flat-mirror state and a powered diffractive state. With a module that fits into a standard 1-inch optical mount, the ROC is operable within minutes of unpacking. It can be operated either in standard mode with the onboard signal generator or in custom mode using a user-generated 5-volt (V) transistor-to-transistor logic (TTL) signal. The ROC is currently available.
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