Eight-inch f5 deformable magnetic-membrane mirror

Matthew Angel

doi:10.1117/12.669700

6 July 2006 Eight-inch f5 deformable magnetic-membrane mirror

Matthew Angel

Proceedings Volume 6273, Optomechanical Technologies for Astronomy; 62732A (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.669700
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2006, Orlando, Florida , United States

Abstract

We demonstrate a method for producing a large, inexpensive, highly curved deformable mirror by stretching a thin polymer membrane coated with a reflective, magnetic material over a rigid frame. The membrane tension, thickness profile, and the transmembrane pressure differential determine the curvature of the mirror, while a computer-controlled electromagnet array deforms the membrane, both to correct the figure and to compensate for an aberrated wavefront. A telescope with an eight-inch f5 magnetic-membrane primary mirror and an adaptive-optics wavefront-measurement-andcontrol system was built and tested. The versatility, high surface quality, large actuator stroke, and low cost-to-aperture ratio of this design suggest that magnetic-membrane mirrors can be used to overcome many of the limitations of both deformable and static mirrors made from solid materials.

Citation Download Citation

Matthew Angel "Eight-inch f5 deformable magnetic-membrane mirror", Proc. SPIE 6273, Optomechanical Technologies for Astronomy, 62732A (6 July 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.669700

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