The present invention replaces galvo and non-galvo based laser scanners that are prior art. It allows a very precise deflection of a laser beam also high intensity in one or two spatial directions. It can realize the deflection angle in discrete, very fine steps with a repetition frequency of several GHz by means of a cascade of optical elements based on switching layers. It can work in two dimensions in an unspecified sequence any points in the clamped solid angle in temporal succession with the reflected laser beam. The quality of the beam is maintained by using e.g. sputtered switching layers. In this case, the layers are metallic in nature, or stacks of successive (partially) switching dielectric layers which, when switched, have a high reflectivity, or unswitched a high transmission. Other, fast-switching, reflective layers can also be used. The central component of the invention is a transmissive carrier medium into which the desired switching layers are aligned along the optical axis and perpendicular to it, and which are each slightly tilted by a tilt angle, such that the solder of the individual layers and the optical axis span a plane, but the solder eg moving away from the optical axis as you move from one layer to the next.
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