Performance validation of a high-bandwidth fine steering mirror for optical communications

This paper presents the first test results of a novel Fine Steering Mirror (FSM) for optical communication terminals. The FSM utilizes efficient variable reluctance actuators, tailored for the specific application, making it highly compact and power efficient. The test results demonstrate a high dynamical performance of <1.7kHz closed-loop bandwidth, and an optical angular range of more than ±2° in two axes. The actual optical angular jitter is less than 1.5 μrad. These numbers demonstrate that this FSM is highly suitable for the evolving field of inter-satellite laser communications.