Optomechatronic Choppers with Rotating Elements: Design Programs

Abstract

Choppers are most used devices for the modulation of light. We have developed a unitary theory of the optical choppers with rotating wheels working with top-hat laser beams (with constant intensity distribution). A novel type of chopper has been introduced, with windows with non-linear edges. The different modulation functions (of the transmitted light flux) were obtained. From this analysis, design programs are developed and presented in this study to tackle with the diverse cases represented by the chopper configurations and by their constructive and functional parameters. Numerical simulations and modeling are carried out based on the mathematical theory we have previously developed. Rules of thumb result to choose the most appropriate type of device and its characteristic parameters with regard to the particular requirements of a specific application. Top-hat (with constant intensity), Gaussian, and Bessel laser beams are considered in this study.