C. Divoux et al., DEFORMABLE MIRROR USING MAGNETIC MEMBRANES - APPLICATION TO ADAPTIVE OPTICS IN ASTROPHYSICS, IEEE transactions on magnetics, 34(5), 1998, pp. 3564-3567
An alternative approach to more compact deformable mirrors for adaptiv
e optics is developed. A thin and flexible reflective membrane is coat
ed with a magnetic layer and locally deformed by the field created by
an array of planar microcoils. This novel technology should enable hig
her resolution with smaller, lighter integrated mirrors. Several compl
ementary modelling tools are used to study the electromagnetic, mechan
ical, magneto-mechanical and thermal behaviour of the device. A first
prototype of phi 30 mm mirror with a matrix of permanent magnets and a
n array of 25 microcoils is under construction.