Design and Simulation Analysis of Piezoelectric Ceramic Tube-Based Fiber Optic Nutator Applied to an Intersatellite Laser Communication System

Abstract

The signal-receiving end of acquisition, pointing, and tracking (APT) systems applied to intersatellite laser communication terminals usually uses a fast-steering mirror (FSM) to control the fiber-coupling process, has a complex structural design, and induces large errors in the nonideal coaxial optical path. Herein, we propose a fiber-optic nutator using a piezoelectric ceramic tube (PCT) as the driving unit that allows scanning in the focal plane of the light signal to achieve active fiber coupling in the APT system. Specifically, this article describes the structural design principle of a PCT-based fiber optic nutator, establishes a simulation model of the mechanism, and proves the correctness of the simulation model by measuring the deflection angle of a PCT based on a parallel light collimator. The minimum accuracy of the designed nutator was 0.145 μm, the maximum nutation radius R was 20.09 μm, and the maximum nutation bandwidth was 20 kHz, as determined through simulation. Finally, the design parameters of the nutator were evaluated. The PCT-based fiber optic nutator, which met the design parameters, structurally replaced the fiber optic coupling component FSM and fine tracking camera in conventional APT systems successfully. Therefore, the PCT-based fiber optic nutator allows the active coupling control of signal light to a single-mode fiber (SMF) based on energy feedback on a theoretical basis and promotes the lightweight design of relay optical paths in APT systems. In addition, with future work in optimization of the nutation control algorithm, the scanning range and accuracy of the nutator can be improved.