OPTICAL ACTUATOR WITH IMPROVED RESPONSE TIME AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

• US 20080259988A1
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp. (Elevate Entertainment, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Evans & Sutherland Computer Corp. (Elevate Entertainment, Inc.)
• Inventors: Elkins, Dennis, Grapov, Yuri, Chernysheva, Tatyana, Owen, David
• Application Number:
  US12/018,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259988A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/98
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3578 Piezoelectric force piezoelectric forces controlling reflecting elements in general G02B26/0858; piezo-optic devices G02F1/0131

Abstract

An optical actuator having an improved response time and an improved frequency operational range due to the reduced mass of a substrate coupled to an actuator and method of making the same. The optical actuator may be formed by adhering an uncoated substrate to the actuator using an epoxy. Once cured, any deformities and irregularities in a top surface of the substrate are removed. An optical coating is then applied to the top surface of the substrate. Once finished, the optical actuator may be used in a laser resonating cavity. Further, the optical actuator desirably may have a resonant frequency of about 150 kHz.

Claims

1. A method of making an optical actuator, said method comprising the steps of:

adhering a substrate to an actuator using an adhesive material, the substrate having a surface;

removing deformities from the surface of the substrate after the adhesive material has cured; and

applying an optical coating to the surface of the substrate after the deformities in the surface have been removed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of grinding the surface of the substrate after the adhesive material has cured.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a length of an effective aperture of the substrate is greater than four times a thickness of the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a length of an effective aperture of the substrate is greater than five times a thickness of the substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a length of an effective aperture of the substrate is greater than six times a thickness of the substrate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a length of an effective aperture of the substrate is greater than seven times a thickness of the substrate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a length of an effective aperture of the substrate is greater than eight times a thickness of the substrate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the substrate is approximately 0.5 millimeters.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a length, a width, and a thickness of the substrate are approximately 3 millimeters, 3 millimeters, and 0.5 millimeters, respectively.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of placing the actuator and the substrate into a spherical mount.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface of the substrate is substantially rectangular.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface of the substrate is substantially circular.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a piezoelectric actuator.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the substrate and actuator to form part of a light resonating cavity.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is glass.

16. A method of making an optical actuator, said method comprising the steps of:

adhering a substrate to an actuator using an adhesive material, the substrate having a surface;

removing any deformities from the surface of the substrate; and

applying an optical coating to the surface of the substrate for wavelength specific applications.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of grinding or polishing the surface of the substrate after the adhesive material has cured.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein a length of an effective aperture of the substrate is greater than four times a thickness of the substrate.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a length of an effective aperture of the substrate is greater than five times a thickness of the substrate.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein a length of an effective aperture of the substrate is greater than six times a thickness of the substrate.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein a length of an effective aperture of the substrate is greater than seven times a thickness of the substrate.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein a length of an effective aperture of the substrate is greater than eight times a thickness of the substrate.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein a thickness of the substrate is approximately 0.5 millimeters.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein a length, a width, and a thickness of the substrate are approximately 3 millimeters, 3 millimeters, and 0.5 millimeters, respectively.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of placing the actuator and the substrate into a spherical mount.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the surface of the substrate is substantially rectangular.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the surface of the substrate is substantially circular.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the actuator is a piezoelectric actuator.

29. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of using the substrate and the actuator to form part of a light resonating cavity.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein the substrate is glass.

31. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of lapping the surface of the substrate after the adhesive material has cured.

32. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of super polishing the surface.

33. The method of claim 16, wherein a thickness of the substrate is less than 0.5 millimeters.

34. An optical actuator for use in a light resonating cavity, said optical actuator comprising:

an actuator;

a substrate bonded to the actuator, the substrate having a surface, an effective aperture, and a thickness;

an optical coating disposed on the surface of the substrate; and

wherein the size of the effective aperture of the substrate is greater than four times the thickness of the substrate.

35. The optical actuator of claim 34, wherein the size of the effective aperture of the substrate is greater than five times the thickness of the substrate.

36. The optical actuator of claim 34, wherein the size of the effective aperture of the substrate is greater than six times the thickness of the substrate.

37. The optical actuator of claim 34, wherein the size of the effective aperture of the substrate is greater than seven times the thickness of the substrate.

38. The optical actuator of claim 34, wherein the size of the effective aperture of the substrate is greater than eight times the thickness of the substrate.

39. The optical actuator of claim 34, wherein the thickness of the substrate is approximately 0.5 millimeters.

40. The optical actuator of claim 34, wherein the actuator is a piezoelectric actuator.

41. A laser apparatus comprising:

a light resonating cavity having an optical path length; and

an optical actuator for varying the optical path length of the light resonating cavity to thereby maintain resonance in the laser cavity; and

wherein said optical actuator has a resonant frequency exceeding 30 kHz.

42. The laser apparatus of claim 41, wherein said optical actuator has a resonant frequency exceeding 45 kHz.

43. The laser apparatus of claim 41, wherein said optical actuator has a resonant frequency exceeding 80 kHz.

44. The laser apparatus of claim 41, wherein said optical actuator has a resonant frequency exceeding 115 kHz.

45. The laser apparatus of claim 41, wherein said optical actuator has a resonant frequency exceeding 140 kHz.

47. The laser apparatus of claim 41, wherein said optical actuator has a resonant frequency of about 150 kHz.

46. The laser apparatus of claim 41, wherein said optical actuator comprises a piezoelectric actuator.