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Optical Products

Light Choppers

Optical choppers and modulators based on the balanced vibrating members of a tuning fork offer outstanding advantages over motor-driven types.

Prime advantages are as follows: drastically reduced power requirements, and more important, the elimination of the need for lubrication. Wear is nil, and reliability is increased several fold. These features are decidedly beneficial in space applications as well as in earthbound devices. IR, UV, and other radiation can be controlled.

The chopper is operated by an external amplifier circuit from which a reference is available. The tine amplitude is adjustable by means of a screwdriver control on the driver unit.

The advantages of a fork-type transducer over a reed type are several: the system is closed, thus more efficient, and is relatively unaffected by the mass it mounts on.

IR Detectors
Star Trackers
Horizon Sensors
Burglar Alarm Systems
Intrusion Systems
Telemetry Systems
Colorimeters
Densitometers
Ion Beam Chopper
Information Storage

Torsional Optical Scanner Type L44

The torsional optical scanner is a fixed frequency device, which can, in its simplest form, be used to cause a light or energy beam to scan a target in a harmonic manner.

This is accomplished by affixing a mirror or other optical element to the transducer. Lenses, prisms, refractor plates, and Polaroid elements can be substituted for the mirror.

Advantages of a Torsional Scanner
The advantages of an L44 torsional scanner over other methods of providing a scanning action include:

No Wearing out of Parts
No Lubrication Needed
Power Requirements as Low as 400mW
Lightweight
Small Size
Reference Signal Voltage Available
Dual Mirrors Operate 180 Degrees out of Phase with Each Other

Torsional Optical Scanner

This scanner is a fixed-frequency device, which can be used to direct a beamed source such as a laser to produce a line scan. Because of its constructions, the L-45 configuration can provide extremely high frequency scan rates, in excess of 20 kHz. When coupled to and AGC driver circuit, it can operate over a wide dynamic range from minutes to degrees. A reference signal proportional to amplitude is available over the entire range. Two scanners can provide a raster.

Features:

No Wearing out of Parts
No Lubrication Needed
Power Requirements as Low as 300 mW (including driver)
Lightweight
Small Size

Optical Scanner Taut Band Type –L50

This is a mechanically resonant device in which the restoring force is a taut ribbon. Power to start and maintain the oscillations is furnished by a solid-state driver powered from DC, optional 110V AC drivers are also available.

Advantages of Taut Band Type

Rugged
Not Sensitive to Shock/Vibration
Lightweight
Low Power Requirements
Reference Output Signal Available
No Wearing out of Parts
No Lube Requirements
Small Size
Low Outgassing (special request at additional cost)
High Reliability—minimum of 10 10th Cycles

Optical Chopper Miniature—Type L8

This light chopper consists of shutters activated by the tines of a fork, which are kept in vibration by a self-contained transistor circuit. An input voltage of 28 V DC at about 30 mA is required. An output signal voltage is available from the fork circuit as a reference.

Has Drastically Reduced Power Needs
Has No Wearing out of Parts
Reliability Tremendously Improved
Ideal for Space and Terrestrial Use
Quiet and Trouble-Free
Complete with Drive Circuitry