Abstract

Lincoln Laboratory is developing deformable mirror systems to be used in adaptive-optics systems intended to compensate for the deleterious effects of the atmosphere on a propagating laser beam. We developed a digital mirror-control system for the automatic measurement of important mirror parameters. Calibrated actuator transfer functions, measured with this system, are stored in the mirror driver as look-up tables. Using these tables, the mirror can be commanded to a specific figure in a single step with an error of <λ/30 rms. A 241-actuator deformable mirror has been flattened routinely to λ/50 rms. A facility has been assembled to evaluate advanced adaptive-optics components including liquid-cooled deformable mirrors. Computer-controlled equipment allows the evaluation of actuator response, mirror jitter, and heat exchanger performance.

© 1988 Optical Society of America