FriiTriga, a triggered controller with an optical beam shutter using a hard disk drive voice-coil actuator

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Mechatronics and Control Systems

Background:

• Controlling light paths in optical setups often requires precise timing.
• Commercial optical shutters can be expensive and complex.
• Repurposing components like hard disk drive actuators offers potential for low-cost solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a complete, low-cost, DIY setup for a triggered mechanical optical shutter.
• To demonstrate a versatile controller with manual, direct TTL, and triggered TTL modes.
• To validate the performance of a hard disk drive voice-coil actuator as a mechanical shutter.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a triggered controller using readily available components.
• Integration of a hard disk drive voice-coil actuator as the mechanical shutter mechanism.
• Implementation of three control modes: Manual, Direct TTL, and Triggered TTL.

Main Results:

• The DIY shutter system achieves opening and closing times of 3 ms in Manual mode.
• Direct TTL mode exhibits a response delay of 19 ms and a minimum open pulse of 23 ms.
• The entire setup costs less than 50€, offering performance comparable to commercial alternatives.

Conclusions:

• A functional and cost-effective triggered mechanical optical shutter can be built using a DIY approach.
• Hard disk drive voice-coil actuators are viable components for low-cost shutter applications.
• The developed system provides a valuable alternative for researchers and hobbyists needing precise optical path control.