Abstract

We advanced the principle of using one polygonal scanner to realize two-dimension scanning with wide scan angle and large screen. To overcome the difficulties of small vertical scan angle, the input laser beam was divided into two equal-intensity beams. Each had its own scan lines, but as we rotated the reflector mirror, the two scan areas would become one, so the vertical scan angle was doubled. In this paper a number of parameters are considered for designing a scanner, such as overall size, geometry, and motion precision. Factors that affect the scan characters are analyzed. The approximate formula for the scan nonlinearity is put forward. Under the condition of precise scanning, the scanner's rotary speed can exceed 150 r/s. The scan angle for the polygonal scanner with 18 facets can reach vertical 11.6° and cross 38.5°. The relative scan errors are 3.8% and 3.0%, respectively.

© 1992 Optical Society of America