Buckling mode actuation of fiber scanner to increase field of view
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- an optical fiber having a distal fiber end and a proximal fiber end;
an electromechanical transducer mechanically coupled to the optical fiber between the distal fiber end and the proximal fiber end, wherein the electromechanical transducer is configured to;
apply a buckling force to the optical fiber by reducing a length of the electromechanical transducer between a distal transducer end of the electromechanical transducer and a proximal transducer end of the electromechanical transducer; and
excite whirling of the distal fiber end by laterally deflecting the distal transducer end of the electromechanical transducer.
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Abstract
Described herein are embodiments of fiber scanning systems and methods of scanning optical fibers. The disclosed systems and methods advantageously provide an improvement to the scanning range, the oscillation amplitude, and/or the maximum pointing angle for an optical fiber in a fiber scanning system by inducing a buckling of a portion of the optical fiber.
17 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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an optical fiber having a distal fiber end and a proximal fiber end; an electromechanical transducer mechanically coupled to the optical fiber between the distal fiber end and the proximal fiber end, wherein the electromechanical transducer is configured to; apply a buckling force to the optical fiber by reducing a length of the electromechanical transducer between a distal transducer end of the electromechanical transducer and a proximal transducer end of the electromechanical transducer; and excite whirling of the distal fiber end by laterally deflecting the distal transducer end of the electromechanical transducer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method comprising:
applying a first voltage to an optical fiber scanning system to induce whirling of an optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber scanning system includes; the optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber has a distal fiber end and a proximal fiber end; an electromechanical transducer mechanically coupled to the optical fiber between the distal fiber end and the proximal fiber end, wherein the electromechanical transducer is configured to; apply a buckling force to the optical fiber by reducing a length of the electromechanical transducer between a distal transducer end of the electromechanical transducer and a proximal transducer end of the electromechanical transducer; and excite whirling of the distal fiber end by laterally deflecting the distal transducer end of the electromechanical transducer; and applying a second voltage to the optical fiber scanning system to induce buckling of the optical fiber. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification