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Enhanced laser shutter using a hard disk drive rotary voice-coil actuator
1School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. r.scholten@physics.unimelb.edu.au
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|June 21, 2007
Summary
This study presents a simplified electronic circuit for using computer hard drive voice-coil motors as fast optical shutters. The new design enables rapid shutter action with reduced power consumption and braking capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Optoelectronics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Rotary voice-coil motors from computer hard disk drives are suitable for optical beam shutters.
- Existing electronic driving circuits for these motors are complex, limiting their practical application.
- There is a need for simplified, efficient, and high-performance driving circuits for voice-coil motor-based optical shutters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and demonstrate a simplified electronic circuit for controlling voice-coil motors as optical shutters.
- To achieve rapid shutter action with precise control over pulse duration and braking.
- To reduce power consumption and actuator heating during operation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a single integrated circuit designed for direct current (DC) motor control.
- Implemented a digital input signal to switch a unipolar power supply bidirectionally through the voice coil.
- Generated short high-current pulses for rapid transitions and a low holding current for continuous operation.
- Incorporated current reversal for braking the shutter at the end of its travel.
- Developed a method for producing variable-length pulses.
Main Results:
- The developed circuit successfully operates voice-coil motors as efficient mechanical shutters.
- Achieved rapid shutter action with rise times below 500 nanoseconds (ns) using a focused laser beam.
- Demonstrated precise control over pulse durations as short as 700 ns.
- The circuit effectively brakes the shutter, reducing impact.
- Reduced power requirements and actuator heating due to low holding current.
Conclusions:
- The presented electronic circuit offers a simplified and effective solution for applying voice-coil motors as high-speed optical shutters.
- This design overcomes the complexity limitations of previous methods, making voice-coil motor shutters more accessible.
- The system provides fast response times, precise pulse control, and efficient operation, suitable for various optical applications.
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