High-actuator-count MEMS deformable mirrors

Adaptive optics (AO) technology has enabled dramatic improvement in imaging performance for fields spanning astronomy, defense, microscopy, and retinal imaging. A critical component within the AO systems is the deformable mirror (DM) that implements the actual wavefront correction. This paper introduces the Iris AO segmented MEMS DM technology with an overview of the fabrication process and a description of the DM operation. The paper demonstrates correction capabilities of 111 and 489 actuator DMs and describes recent effort for scaling to 1000-actuator class DMs. Finally, the paper presents laser testing results of dielectric coated DMs and describes the development path for MEMS DMs capable of 2.8 kW/cm 2 average laser power.