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Low-cost Custom Fabrication and Mode-locked Operation of an All-normal-dispersion Femtosecond Fiber Laser for Multiphoton Microscopy

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Note: fast, small, and low vibration mechanical laser shutters.

S Martínez¹, L Hernández, D Reyes

¹Instituto de Física, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí 78290, Mexico.

The Review of Scientific Instruments

|May 3, 2011

Summary

We developed three new mechanical laser shutters using stepper motors, relays, and piezoelectric actuators. Each design offers unique advantages for specific applications, with piezoelectric shutters achieving superior speed.

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Area of Science:

Optics and Photonics
Mechanical Engineering
Actuator Technology

Background:

Mechanical laser shutters are crucial components in various optical systems.
Existing shutter designs may have limitations in speed, vibration, or size.
There is a need for specialized shutter solutions tailored to specific application requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce three novel mechanical laser shutter designs.
To evaluate the performance characteristics of each design for different applications.
To highlight the advantages of each shutter type for specific use cases.

Main Methods:

Design and fabrication of three distinct mechanical laser shutter prototypes.
Utilizing a stepper motor for low-vibration applications.
Incorporating a relay for compact, high-speed burst applications.
Employing a piezoelectric actuator for ultra-fast shuttering.

Main Results:

The stepper motor shutter demonstrated suitability for vibration-sensitive environments.
The relay-based shutter proved effective for rapid, short-duration light control.
The piezoelectric actuator shutter achieved speeds significantly higher (2 orders of magnitude) than conventional mechanical shutters.
Each design met specific performance criteria for its intended application.

Conclusions:

Novel mechanical laser shutter designs based on stepper motor, relay, and piezoelectric actuators have been successfully developed.
The choice of actuator allows for optimization of shutter performance based on application needs (vibration, speed, size).
The piezoelectric shutter represents a significant advancement in mechanical shutter speed for advanced optical applications.