Resonant fiber scanner with optical feedback

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Control Systems

Background:

• Resonant fiber scanners are crucial for high-speed optical imaging.
• Accurate timing signals are essential for stabilizing resonant scanners.
• Existing feedback methods can be complex or limited in capture range.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a new feedback mechanism for single-axis resonant fiber scanners.
• To improve the stability and capture range of fiber scanners.
• To enable precise control of drive frequency and amplitude.

Main Methods:

• An apertured mirror was placed before the imaging lens to provide optical feedback.
• Timing signals were generated by reflection at scan extremities, interlaced with back-scattered data.
• A phase-locked loop and a proportional controller were employed to adjust scanner parameters.

Main Results:

• The proposed feedback system successfully generated timing signals at scan extremities.
• The phase-locked loop and proportional controller effectively adjusted drive frequency and amplitude.
• The capture range and stability of the resonant fiber scanner were examined and found to be adequate.

Conclusions:

• The apertured mirror method offers a viable and effective feedback solution for single-axis resonant fiber scanners.
• This approach enhances the performance and reliability of fiber optic scanning systems.
• The system's stability and capture range are suitable for applications like confocal microscopy.