Researchers use tightly focused laser beams to image biological samples, shape materials with microscopic precision and generate displays. But using those beams in three dimensions requires more than sweeping light from side to side, as the light must also rapidly refocus at different depths.
That often requires separate optical components, one to steer the light and another to change where it comes into focus. Penn State researchers have developed a state-of-the-art tiny mirror that can do both at record speeds, potentially slimming down and speeding up future optical systems used in brain imaging, augmented reality goggles and precision manufacturing.
"Being able to quickly control light in three dimensions with a single device offers a significant improvement in the overall size and weight of an optical system," said Hunter Shillingburg, doctoral student in electrical engineering and first author of the study published in Microsystems & Nanoengineering.
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