Biaxial scanning mirror with large rotation angle and low resonance frequency for LIDAR application

We propose a biaxial scanning mirror with a large rotation angle and low resonance frequency for a compact and low-power-consuming LIDAR. The scanning mirror in LIDAR, which is driven by a rotating motor, requires a wide field of view and a low working frequency. To achieve these requirements, we develop an electromagnetic actuator for a biaxial scanning mirror that consists of two pairs of coils, one yoke with a cross shape, one rare-earth permanent magnet, and one gimbal structure frame. The gap distance between the permanent magnet and yoke is adjusted to find the optimum condition. The overall size of the developed system is 20mmx20mmx12mm (widthxdepthxheight) with a gap distance of 3mm. Experiments and simulations are performed with various gap distances. The experimental results indicate that the maximum rotation angle is +/- 51 degrees at 37Hz when the gap distance is 3mm and the applied voltage is +/- 5V.