Design of Fast Steering Mirror systems for precision laser beams steering

Precision laser beam steering is critical in numerous applications, such as military, biomedical and industrial. Precise pointing of laser beams is particularly essential in challenging environments. The optical signal may break and wander due to environmental influences. The core problem of steering performances is to deal with the jitter disturbance. Based on the analysis of principle of angle beam steering system, some important factors to design the structure of fast steering mirror (FSM) and the layout of laser optics steering system are presented. In laser beam applications, FSM presents more challenges in terms of the need for extremely precise pointing between two sources involved in the link. Flexure hinges with compliant mechanisms, with several advantages over classical rotational joints, are used to build the FSM structure. In precise laser beam steering it is necessary to steer a laser beam to a target and maintain the alignment with extreme precision over long periods of time. To make the system effective, a 4-quadrant detector has been used as the sensor for the incoming light. A design of the developed control loop and concepts for the experimental setup are discussed. A laser beam jitter control test bed is also introduced to improve jitter control techniques.