Rotation double prisms steered by noncircular gear pairs to scan specified nonlinear trajectories.

In order to scan some specified nonlinear motion trajectories with high accuracy, simple control process, and good stability, we propose a method to design the drive mechanism of the rotation double-prism scanner, which can transfer the nonlinear motor control to the profile design of corresponding noncircular gear pairs. Given a nonlinear target trajectory, this method can successfully change the complicated nonlinear motion of the motor to the more operative uniform rotation. The simulation and experiment results show that the tracking error is less than 0.981 mm in the distance of 500 mm between the actual tracking trajectory and the original one. The proposed drive mechanical setup offers a perfect alternative to the nonlinear control design of the rotation double-prism scanner.

Structural Insights into a Unique Dimeric DEAD-Box Helicase CshA that Promotes RNA Decay.

CshA is a dimeric DEAD-box helicase that cooperates with ribonucleases for mRNA turnover. The molecular mechanism for how a dimeric DEAD-box helicase aids in RNA decay remains unknown. Here, we report the crystal structure and small-angle X-ray scattering solution structure of the CshA from Geobacillus stearothermophilus. In contrast to typical monomeric DEAD-box helicases, CshA is exclusively a dimeric protein with the RecA-like domains of each protomer forming a V-shaped structure. We show that the C-terminal domains protruding outward from the tip of the V-shaped structure is critical for mediating strong RNA binding and is crucial for efficient RNA-dependent ATP hydrolysis. We also show that RNA remains bound with CshA during ATP hydrolysis cycles and thus bulk RNAs could be unwound and degraded in a processive manner through cooperation between exoribonucleases and CshA. A dimeric helicase is hence preserved in RNA-degrading machinery for efficient RNA turnover in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

Performance characterization of scanning beam steered by tilting double prisms.

A pair of orthogonal tilting double prisms with a tracking precision better than submicroradian order exhibits a good application potential in laser tracking fields. In the paper, the beam scanning performance determined by both the structure parameters and the tilting motions of two prisms is overall investigated. The functional relation between the structure parameters and the exact beam scanning range is established, the capability of high-accuracy beam steering is validated together with the investigation of the scanning error sources and the nonlinear control laws, and the beam shape distortion degree under multi-parameter combinations is demonstrated. These studies can provide important references for the development of tilting double prisms.

Beam distortion of rotation double prisms with an arbitrary incident angle.

The distortion of beam shape in rotation Risley prisms is discussed in this paper. Using the ray-tracing method based on vector refraction theorem, a rigorous theoretical model of beam distortion with an arbitrary incident angle is established to explore the influencing factors. For a specified double-prism pair, the emergent beam is squeezed in one direction while stretched in the mutual perpendicular direction, the distortion of which is determined by the relative rotation angle. Moreover, the distortion of beam shape is greatly influenced by the wedge angles and the refractive indices of the prisms, as well as different double-prism configurations, while uncorrelated to the prism thickness and the distance between two prisms. This paper demonstrates the regular change of the beam shape with multiparameter variations in rotation double prisms, which can be applied to the design of rotation double-prism systems.

Investigation of beam steering performances in rotation Risley-prism scanner.

Rotation Risley-prism scanner appears to be the most promising solution to high-accuracy beam scanning and target tracking. In the paper, some important issues crucial to the function implementation are thoroughly investigated. First the forming law of scan blind zone relative to double-prism structural parameters is explored by a quantitative analysis method. Then the nonlinear relationship between the rotation speeds of double prisms and the change rate of beam deviation angle is presented, and the beam scan singularity is indicated as an essential factor that confines the beam scan region. Finally, the high-accuracy radial scan theory is verified to illustrate the important application owing to the high reduction ratio from the rotation angles of double prisms to the deviation angles of the emergent beam. The research not only reveals the inner mechanisms of the Risley-prism beam scanning in principle, but also provide a foundation for the nonlinear control of various beam scan modes.

Tilting double-prism scanner driven by cam-based mechanism.

A pair of orthogonal tilting prisms has been explored in our previous work to perform the orientation and position tracking function with tracking accuracy better than submicroradian order. Crucial to the function implementation, however, is the real-time nonlinear control of the tilting angles of double prisms for tracking a given target trajectory. In previous papers [Proc. SPIE5892, 1-5 (2005).PSISDG0277-786X; Appl. Opt.45, 8063 (2006).PSISDG0277-786X; Proc. SPIE6709, 41 (2007).PSISDG0277-786X; Appl. Opt.51, 356 (2011).10.1364/AO.51.000356APOPAI1559-128X; Appl. Opt.53, 3712 (2014).10.1364/AO.53.003712APOPAI1559-128X], a new driving method by a cam-based mechanism, which can transfer the control problem to the design of corresponding cam configuration, is investigated. The design process of a cam-based mechanism is explained from the mapping relation between the tilting angles of a prism and the configuration curve of a corresponding cam. Based on the designed cam-based mechanism, a tracking error less than 0.375% is depicted between the tracking trajectory and the original one. Moreover, the dynamic characteristic of the tracking mechanism is discussed in detail as well as the impacts of different tilting speeds on the tracking trajectory. The proposed tracking mechanism of a tilting double-prism scanner can create a new avenue for passively tracking a given target.

Inverse solutions for a Risley prism scanner with iterative refinement by a forward solution.

Risley prism scanners are increasingly used for laser beam steering due to their wide angular scanning range and high resolution. However, the inverse problem, which focuses on obtaining the required prisms' orientations for a given target position, has not been perfectly solved so far. The existing inverse solutions are not accurate or efficient enough for high-accuracy and real-time tracking. An iterative method that combines an approximate inverse solution with an iterative refinement by the forward solution is set forth in this paper. Two case studies indicate that the rotation motions of Risley prism pairs controlled by iterative solutions can slew the beam to create the desired tracking pattern quickly and accurately. Based on this method, a Risley prism scanner developed as a standard trajectory generator is implemented for the error measurement of a robotic manipulator in our experiments. The simulation and experimental results show that the inverse solution for one target point can be obtained within nine iterations for a prescribed tracking error threshold.