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Beam Steering Basics

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Particle beams and other beam systems have become essential, industry-standard technology in diverse applications, including manufacturing, military, medical, and even musical contexts. However, success in any of these situations depends on accurate beam steering.

What Is Beam Steering?

Beam steering is any method that controls the direction of a beam, whether particle, optical, or any other kind. This process makes it possible to achieve controlled, practical use of beams.

For example, in the case of optical beams, beam steering directs the light paths so the laser can execute an intended task, like cutting material to specific dimensions.

Beam Steering Applications

Precise control over different types of beams has value across numerous industries. Examples include: 

  • Medical: Beam steering guides lasers during delicate medical procedures, including laser eye surgery, skin resurfacing, and DNA sequencing. Electromagnetic beam steering is essential for treating cancer through proton therapy.
  • Military: An important military application of beam steering is steering the arrays of phased array antennas. This technology allows the military to detect threats like planes and missiles.
  • Commercial: Industrial and commercial beam steering applications range from fabricating semiconductors and operating laboratory instruments to scanning barcodes in local supermarkets.
  • Telecommunications: Beam steering is driving innovative telecommunications technologies. It creates targeted, interference-free transmissions for 5G and 6G connections and satellite communication.

How Does Beam Steering Work?

Beam steering controls and redirects various kinds of beams by manipulating the instrument emitting the beam or a medium it passes through. There are multiple beam steering techniques and components, which vary depending on the type of beam being steered. We'll explore how each type of beam steering works, the available methods, and key technologies. 

How Does Photonic Beam Steering Work?

Photonic, optic or laser beam steering involves manipulating the refraction of a medium to redirect the path of a light beam passing through it. Mediums could be prisms, lenses, mirrors, or diffraction gratings. Various instruments can achieve these redirections, including:

  • Mechanical mirror-based gimbals
  • Beam-director units
  • Galvanometer mirror-rotating mechanisms
  • Risley prisms
  • Phased-array optics
  • Micromirrors

Operators use these instruments to change how the medium refracts the laser, giving it the intended direction to execute the task.

How Does Particle Beam Steering Work?

Particle accelerators generate particle beams by accelerating charged proton or electron particles from a source like hydrogen gas. Then, electromagnets create a magnetic field and steer the beam as it travels through a vacuum tube. 

These electromagnets allow operators to focus, direct, and collide particles at intended points for targeted applications like medical X-rays and semiconductor fabrication.

How Does Radio Beam Steering Work?

Radio and radar beam steering works by adjusting the amplitude and phase of antennas within an antenna array. This allows the array operator to transmit a signal as a targeted radio beam toward a specific area or location. Accurate radio beam steering enhances the efficiency of telecommunications technologies.

How Does Audio Beam Steering Work?

Audio beam steering (ABS) works by changing the magnitude and phase of speakers in a column. Digital signal processing (DSP) technology drives the instruments that control these factors, allowing operators to direct sound to specific locations within a space.

Power Supply for Beam Steering

Most systems for generating and steering beams require an electrical power supply. We'll use the example of a DC electrical current powering electromagnetic particle beam steering.

The electromagnetic coils that steer particle beams exert stronger or weaker forces, depending on the magnitude of DC they receive. This means the power supply is integral to the electromagnetic steering system. So, accurate control over the DC's magnitude is essential for precise steering.

The optimal technology available for particle beam steering power supply is the water-cooling power supply with inductive loads. Astrodyne TDI's LiquaBlade™ power supply is a cutting-edge example of this technology. It meets the high current demands of the electromagnets used in particle beam steering while allowing high-speed digital control over output power. Its programmable output settings range from 0-500 volts with minimal harmonic interference. 

This power supply technology gives operators the reliable control they need when steering particle beams, whether in semiconductor manufacturing or proton therapy for cancer patients.

Thermal Management in Beam Steering Systems

Efficient, accurate beam steering systems often require cooling. For example, this is true for electromagnetic particle beam steering. A power supply is vulnerable to overheating as it works to meet the high demands of electromagnetic coils. Overheating is the greatest threat to the reliability and durability of power supplies. When an overheating power supply causes the interruption or failure of a particle beam in an industrial or medical context, costs can be high.

This makes effective thermal management crucial for beam steering systems. Two common thermal management methods for particle beam steering power supplies are:

  • Air cooling: Air cooling uses convection to remove heat. In some contexts, natural airflow is sufficient. But in high-power applications like electromagnetic beam steering, a forced convection system like a high-volume fan is necessary to manage the heat. Air pressure and airflow restrictions will impact how feasible fan cooling is. Additionally, fans may not be permissible in special sanitary spaces in laboratory or medical situations.
  • Liquid cooling: Liquid cooling is a form of conduction cooling that runs a coolant fluid through the power supply system, absorbing and dissipating heat from the electrical components. Liquid cooling is efficient for cooling small, high-power systems, making it ideal for electromagnetic particle beam steering. 

LiquaBlade™: Astrodyne TDI's Water-Cooled Power Supply

For optimized electromagnetic particle beam steering, choose Astrodyne TDI's LiquaBlade™ power supply. The LiquaBlade™ is a fully adjustable, 16.5-kilowatt power supply in a single, compact rackmount unit. Every feature of the LiquaBlade™ power supply is designed to power precise, accurate beam steering in technical applications ranging from semiconductor fabrication to medical treatments. These features include:

  • Programmable outputs ranging from 0-500 volts.
  • Parallel series compatibility to meet high power needs.
  • Constant Voltage, Constant Current, and Constant Power control models.
  • Three-phase delta input (380-480 VAC +/-10%).
  • High-speed digital control for responsive steering.
  • .99 Power Factor (Active).
  • Redundancy for 100% uptime to maximize efficiency.
  • Water cooling for optimal thermal management.

Order Your Optimal Beam Steering Power Supply From Astrodyne TDI

If your industry uses beam steering, you need a reliable power supply for your system. Astrodyne TDI is an industry leader in producing durable power supplies for specialized semiconductor manufacturing, medical, military, and other industrial and commercial applications. 

We provide programmable power supplies with efficient cooling systems to secure optimal beam steering performance for your unique application. Our range of power supplies includes models tailored to the requirements of industry-specific equipment. These optimized power supplies offer superior reliability and outperform generic alternatives. You can explore our full range of power supplies online.

Get in Touch for More Information

Contact Astrodyne TDI today to learn more about the LiquaBlade™ water-cooled power supply and other power solutions suited to your application.