Prism Scanner

Abstract

The design parameters of the prism scanner appropriate to systems design are investigated analytically using a thin prism approximation and a more exact thick prism analysis. The results are specialized to the case of the spiral mode but the method is applicable to other modes.Design equations and curves are derived for the spiral scanner using the thin prism approximation. By more exact analysis, it is shown that the thin prism analysis is adequate for preliminary design. The results are checked experimentally and are in excellent agreement.