In some situations, high power and USP / Ultrafast lasers cannot achieve their full speed potential with galvo scanners. When scan speeds of hundreds of meters a second are required, a polygon scanner could well be the solution.
The new Precision Raster Scan Polygon Controller from Precision Laser Scanning provides a simple, cost effective solution for laser cleaning or surface modification at hundreds of meters / second. The controller will synchronize a high speed polygon scanner with a galvanometer scanner and a high power laser for a raster scan more than ten time faster than is possible with traditional galvo scanners.
The polygon provides a fast X-axis line scan. At the end of each line, the galvo steps one increment to provide the Y-axis. This scanner combination will create a raster scan on a fixed target. Or, the galvo can be used to sync with a moving target. The controller allows remote control of the polygon speed. Start-Of-Scan detection tells the controller precisely when each scan line starts. This allows the controller to turn on the laser at the correct time. The user can adjust the range and overlap of the Y-axis galvo motion. The controller has an analog output to control the movement of the galvo. There is a safety interlock input and the system may be run standalone or in real time via USB.
Lasers clean effectively without chemicals or abrasives. Laser surface treatment applications include super-hydrophobic surfaces to repel water.