Reducing laser speckle with electroactive polymer actuators

Abstract

Laser light sources have inherent advantages in terms of brightness and low beam divergence. However, the coherence of lasers causes speckle to form on the target. In this paper, we show how electroactive polymers can provide a compact and energy-efficient solution to reduce laser speckles. The design parameters are discussed. The speckle reducers are characterized both mechanically and optically. Finally, a case-study is presented, illustrating the implementation of the speckle reducer into a compact laser projector system.