NTT Advanced Technology Corporation (NTT-AT) announced it has been selected as the 2010 CLEO/Laser Focus World Innovation Award winner.
The award recognizes NTT-AT’s KTN Voltage-Controlled Laser Beam Scanner, a broad-wavelength-range scanner that is 100 times faster and 100 times smaller than conventional scanners, as a groundbreaking product that will bring new value to laser applications.
NTT-AT will demonstrate its award-winning scanner, as well as the KTN Varifocal and High Refractive Index Crystal KT lenses in booth #1742 at the CLEO/QELS show in San Jose, May 18-20, 2010.
The CLEO/Laser Focus World Innovation Awards Program honors the most timely, groundbreaking products in the field of laser science. Designed to showcase some of the most significant new products in the field, Innovation Award entries are evaluated on criteria critical to product success: impact, functionality, life expectancy, effect on the optics industry, innovation and patents or trademarks.
“We’re honored to be recognized by CLEO, Laser Focus World and the laser science community,” said Kazuhiko Komatsu, Senior Vice President of NTT Advanced Technology Corporation. “The KTN scanner is a very simple device that controls the laser deflection angle. Because of this capability, this basic optical component will have a wide range of potential applications and will bring new value to the industry by its unprecedented technical features such as high speed and compact size.”
KTN Scanner is Highest Speed Novel Laser Beam Scanner
The KTN Voltage-Controlled Laser Beam Scanner is a solid-state, wide-angle scanning device that offers measurable benefits over conventional beam scanners. The device exploits the electro-optic effect of Potassium Tantalite Niobate (KTN) crystal for bi-directional, voltage-controlled, continuous or step scanning, without any mechanical movement. Accordingly, the KTN Scanner achieves operation rates ranging from DC to 400 kHz – or 100 times faster than a polygon mirror. The compact, high-speed device is ideal for applications such as laser radar detection, laser scanning displays, and laser machining.
KTN scanners offer improved capabilities and benefits over mirror-based scanners, including:
- No moving parts because the deflection stems from electron redistribution induced by applying an external voltage thus achieving very fast operating speeds.
- 100 times smaller, an appealing feature to manufacturers planning to miniaturize various devices. The scanner is comprised of a KTN chip with electrodes, and at just a few millimeters in length, the KTN Scanner Module is only 2 x 3 x 6 centimeters in size.
- Since the beam deflection angle is a simple function of applied voltage, it’s easy to steer the beam. If the applied voltage is quantized, the beam angle changes equivalent to the voltage. Moreover, a continuous change in the applied voltage causes a continuous change in the deflection angle. Namely, NTT’s KTN Scanner can handle any deflection mode, including analog and digital scanning.
Main applications of KTN optical scanners include laser processing, 3D measurement, optical communications, displays, optical recording, imaging, sensing, printing, and copying.
KTN Varifocal Lens 1000 Times Faster than Conventional Varifocal Lens
NTT-AT will also showcase its KTN Varifocal Lenses that were created by using single KTN crystals and which respond three orders of magnitude faster than conventional commercial varifocal lenses. These lenses are expected to be applied to new technical fields such as laser manufacturing.
Source: http://www.ntt-at.com/