Improved Fast Steering Mirrors for Directed Energy

MDA is soliciting revolutionary advancements in manufacturing technology to increase the capability of an airborne testbed for Directed Energy.  Amongst the cited laser components that are expensive and have long lead times is fast steering mirrors (FSMs).  Fast steering mirror are critical to any beam control system to maintain the laser position on the target in the presence of atmospheric, aero-optic, mechanical platform disturbances, and target dynamics. Active Optical Systems, LLC, (AOS) has been developing fast steering mirrors for over a decade for the directed energy industry.  We began producing piezo-based FSMs for aero-optic experiments and demonstrated the capability for a low-cost 1” diameter FSM to achieve a first resonance around 9kHz.  For a recent Army program, we delivered voice-coil actuated (VCA) high-power FSMs in sizes from 4” diameter to over 6” in diameter.  These FSMs were successfully tested at extremely high average power.  We also recently completed a manufacturing technology effort that increased our manufacturing readiness level (MRL). Despite all these successes, we believe that there is more room for improvement in high-power FSMs that will reduce the cost and lead time and increase the manufacturability of these devices.  In this effort, we propose to investigate two new sensor technologies and a new piezo-based architecture that will address the needs expressed in the call.