Development of a Miniaturized Deformable Mirror Controller

TL;DR

This paper presents a compact, low-power deformable mirror controller designed for space-based adaptive optics, enabling high-precision wavefront control in small, resource-constrained missions for applications like exoplanet imaging and laser communications.

Contribution

The development of a miniaturized, efficient deformable mirror controller capable of handling 1024 actuators with high resolution and speed, suitable for small space missions.

Findings

Controller fits in 10x10x5cm volume

Consumes less than 8W power

Handles 1024 actuators at 1kHz

Abstract

High-Performance Adaptive Optics systems are rapidly spreading as useful applications in the fields of astronomy, ophthalmology, and telecommunications. This technology is critical to enable coronagraphic direct imaging of exoplanets utilized in ground-based telescopes and future space missions such as WFIRST, EXO-C, HabEx, and LUVOIR. We have developed a miniaturized Deformable Mirror controller to enable active optics on small space imaging mission. The system is based on the Boston Micromachines Corporation Kilo-DM, which is one of the most widespread DMs on the market. The system has three main components: The Deformable Mirror, the Driving Electronics, and the Mechanical and Heat management. The system is designed to be extremely compact and have low- power consumption to enable its use not only on exoplanet missions, but also in a wide-range of applications that require precision optical systems, such as direct line-of-sight laser communications, and guidance systems. The controller is capable of handling 1,024 actuators with 220V maximum dynamic range, 16bit resolution, and 14bit accuracy, and operating at up to 1kHz frequency. The system fits in a 10x10x5cm volume, weighs less than 0.5kg, and consumes less than 8W. We have developed a turnkey solution reducing the risk for currently planned as well as future missions, lowering their cost by significantly reducing volume, weight and power consumption of the wavefront control hardware.