Piezoelectric deformable mirrors and gratings
First Claim
1. An apparatus for rapidly and accurately positioning an optical surface, comprising:
- at least one piezoelectric element;
an optical surface located on said piezoelectric element for altering the direction of incident acoustic or electromagnetic radiation, said piezoelectric element being piezoelectrically polarized along a first axis; and
means for applying an electric field to said piezoelectric element along a second axis perpendicular to said first axis for causing piezoelectric shear deformation of said piezoelectric element and rotation of said optical surface about a third axis which is perpendicular to both said first and said second axes, said deformation being sufficient to alter the direction of said incident radiation and to alter the direction and distribution of diffracted incident radiation after interaction with said optical surface;
wherein varying the magnitude of said electric field alters the magnitude of said deformation thereby accurately positioning said optical surface.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for rapidly and accurately positioning an optical surface comprises at least one piezoelectric element 10 with an optical surface 16 located thereon and means 12,30 for applying an electric field to the piezoelectric element 10. The piezoelectric element 10 is piezoelectrically polarized along a first axis and the electric field is supplied along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. Thus, piezoelectric shear deformation of the piezoelectric element occurs and there is rotation of the optical surface 16 about a third axis which is perpendicular to both the first and second axes. The deformation is sufficient to alter the direction of incident radiation and to alter the direction and distribution of diffracted incident radiation after interaction with the optical surface 16. Varying the magnitude of the electric field alters the magnitude of the deformation thereby accurately positioning the optical surface 16.
60 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for rapidly and accurately positioning an optical surface, comprising:
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at least one piezoelectric element; an optical surface located on said piezoelectric element for altering the direction of incident acoustic or electromagnetic radiation, said piezoelectric element being piezoelectrically polarized along a first axis; and means for applying an electric field to said piezoelectric element along a second axis perpendicular to said first axis for causing piezoelectric shear deformation of said piezoelectric element and rotation of said optical surface about a third axis which is perpendicular to both said first and said second axes, said deformation being sufficient to alter the direction of said incident radiation and to alter the direction and distribution of diffracted incident radiation after interaction with said optical surface; wherein varying the magnitude of said electric field alters the magnitude of said deformation thereby accurately positioning said optical surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for rapidly and accurately positioning an optical surface, comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one piezoelectric element being piezoelectrically polarized along a first axis, said at least one piezoelectric element having an optical surface for altering the direction of incident acoustic or electromagnetic radiation; and applying an electric field to said piezoelectric element along a second axis perpendicular to said first axis for causing piezoelectric shear deformation of said piezoelectric element and rotation of said optical surface about a third axis which is perpendicular to both said first and said second axes, said deformation being sufficient to alter the direction of said incident radiation after interaction with said optical surface; wherein varying the magnitude of said electric field alters the magnitude of said deformation thereby accurately positioning said optical surface.
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Specification