A Rapid-Action Shutter with No Moving Parts

The Rapatronic camera takes still exposures of 2 to 20 μsec with a high degree of resolution. Exposure is easily synchronized with a fast-transient event, and the shutter has at least a 30-deg viewing angle with apertures in the useful range for high-speed photography. The shutter is of the magneto-optic “light valve” type, operating by the rotation of the plane of polarization of light traversing glass in a magnetic field (Faraday effect). Three polarizers, crossed at 0-90-0 deg, produce an open-to-closed transmission ratio in excess of thirty million, and removal of the magnetic field closes the shutter, allowing it to pass only one billionth of the light from the subject.

Print ISSN

0898-042X

Published

1951-04

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/J06334