Linear Micromechanical Phased Arrays

Linear micromechanical optical phased arrays solve many of the problems facing their two-dimensional counter parts. In this paper we cover the basics of linear micromechanical phased arrays and show how their fundamental properties lead to desirable functional characteristics for optical applications. Experimental results on sheet microscopy with improved axial resolution demonstrates how the scanning performance of linear phased arrays can be combined with other scanning elements to create three dimensional images with high resolution at high speed.