Deformable Mirror (DM) Electronics Miniaturization

The next generation of deformable mirror (DM) systems designed for airborne applications must be smaller, lighter and consume less power to be useful. Efforts to increase the flexibility of these systems are focused on redesigning the driver and controlelectronics. The technology that will permit the design of compact systems will include significant simplification or elimination of cabling and interconnect hardware, the reduction of driver volume by an order of magnitude, and a decrease in quiescentpower to effectively minimize power consumption and thermally induced optical errors.Xinetics proposes to create a new paradigm for airborne adaptive optics systems through an innovative driver system designed to address immediate and future needs. This system will utilize an advanced switching technology applied in conjunction to aninnovative trickle charging system. Specifically, the implementation of this approach will reduce the power consumption of a 256 actuator DM system from 1 kW to 100 W, the quiescent power from 751 W to 75 W, and the weight from 340 lbs. to 30 lbs. Theresulting system will enable the driver system to be located behind the current ABL deformable mirror facesheet, while avoiding thermally induced optical errors due to the extremely low quiescent power. Low noise, high-density multiplexed electroncis are necessary to drive Photonex based Deformable Mirrors having several thousand channels of actuation with Angstrom level precision. Low noise is needed to maintain dimensional stability during longduration exposures. High-density is required for low power, low volume packaging anticipated for both space flight systems and commerical instruments. Mulitplexing is needed to substantially reduce the per channel cost of the dirver system. If selected,the proposed effort will produce a 512 and 1,024 channel driver board that is capable of driving mirror configurations having between 4,096 and 16,384 channels of actuation. It is the intent of this effort to produce a low noise hybrid platform andpopulate a flight qualifiable board capable in production of addressing a deformable mirror format having actuator spacings of 1 (NASA), 2.5 (Military) and 5 mm (Industry).Xinetics has reviewed the commerical industry in terms of optical precision and available finacial base. It is our belief that commericial opportunities exist in those fields that both need and can affort the high-value of a compact adaptive optics system.These targeted areas include:1. Medical Imaging Instruments2. Semiconductor Processing Equipment, and3. Telecommunications Optical Processing.We anticipate business opportunities in excess of $2.5 million in each of these respective areas. It enables Xinetics to realize 20 to 30% growth per annum while maintaining its commitment to critical components to the Government.