Single Crystal, High Gain Bandwidth Deformable Mirror for Tactical AO Systems

Compensation of thermal blooming and high scintillation affects requires simultaneous large amplitude and large bandwidth operation or high gain bandwidth. Present deformable mirror technology, provides 3 to 4 microns stroke with a full amplitude bandwidthapproaching 500-Hz. It has been a design criteria that as the bandwidth increased, the amplitude decreased specific to a power spectral density profile set forth for the application. Recent test results have shown that present mirrors are limited by theability of the actuators to withstand the high peak current loads required for the high gain bandwidth operational mode. It is the intent of the proposed program to develop a new Single Crystal Photonex Mirror capable of 8 to 10-microns stroke with a fullamplitude bandwidth approaching 8 KHz. It is the intent of the proposed program to develop a mirror that is compatible with current linear amplifier technology while producing high gain bandwidth. It is a further objective to develop a deformable mirrorsystem with a compact, lightweight physical size to enable the layout of optical systems, which fit current tactical packages. The final objective is to develop a modular manufacturing process, which not only maintains the current industrial base but alsoenables scaling and production for future systems.