Surface Finish Improvement in MEMS Deformable Mirrors for High Contrast Imaging

This proposal aims to make fundamental progress in one of NASA’s core objectives: to explore Earth-like exo-planets using space-based Coronagraphs. One NASA-identified technology gap is the need for compact, ultraprecise, multi-thousand actuator deformable mirrors (DMs). Boston Micromachines Corporation is a leading producer of such DMs, which have been used in space-based applications and NASA Coronagraph test beds. However, their surface quality is currently limited to by topographic print-through on and stresses in the mirror surface. BMC proposes to develop a modified manufacturing process to improve the surface quality building on recent advancement in other programs. The new process will lead to production of DMs with surface figure errors measuring 1nm-rms. Such DMs are needed for all space-based coronagraphs that have been proposed for future NASA missions such as the Habitable World Observatory.

Deformable mirrors that can enable 1x10-10 contrast in NASA Coronagraph test beds and are candidates for use in space-based Coronagraphs used to search for Earth-like exo-planets. Planned NASA space-based observatories such Habitable World Observatory require the control provided by the proposed DMs. These devices will fill a critical technology gap in NASA’s vision for high-contrast imaging and spectroscopy instruments.

High-resolution, ultra-smooth MEMS deformable mirrors have non-NASA applications. They can improve the performance of terrestrial telescopes such as TMT and E-ELT. They can also be used as high-resolution wavefront correctors in laser communication, microscopy, and imaging.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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