The Fast Steering Mirrors from Micro-Epsilon are micro-mechatronic systems that are used for the fast and precise deflection of laser beams. The miniaturized tilting mirrors offer an outstanding combination of dynamics and tilting angle. Thanks to the innovative voice coil technology, they achieve an impressive maximum frequency of 2 kHz, which is comparable to piezo-controlled systems but significantly more robust. At the same time, the large movement range of the mirror of ±1.5° opens up additional degrees of freedom and allows flexible application possibilities with consistently high accuracy. This makes them ideal for optical communication and for stabilizing laser beams in the aerospace and defence sectors as well as in optical metrology and industry.

Functional principle & system design

The dynamic systems use high-precision eddy current displacement sensors and a highly flat mirror, which is moved by an actuator in the form of two electromagnetic coils per tilting axis. The Fast Steering Mirror can be controlled extremely precisely in two axes. A central pivot point allows synchronous movement without play or wear. The FSM3000 tilting mirror systems impress with their robustness, small design and their low weight of only around 55 g. The mirror itself is about the size of a table tennis ball. This makes them not only easy to integrate, but also extremely resilient. The tilting mirror systems in satellites can easily withstand the strong shocks and vibrations during rocket launches and work very precisely and reliably in orbit.

Customizable for numerous applications

In the FSM3000 series, Micro-Epsilon offers a broad portfolio of standard mirrors (COTS), customer-specific adaptations (MOTS) and developments for OEM series applications. For example, the mirror diameter, the coating or the sensor electronics of the tilting mirrors can be adapted to the respective application.