Aberration-free dynamic focusing with a multichannel micromachined membrane deformable mirror

We demonstrate aberration-free dynamic focusing with a low-cost 19-channel continuous-surface micromachined membrane deformable mirror (MMDM). A looku p table of the optimum control voltages for various focal lengths is obtain ed with an adaptive optics algorithm. Diffraction-limited imaging resolutio n is achieved owing to the capablility of the MMDM for aberration compensat ion. The measured speed of the MMDM supports dynamic focusing operations at several hundred hertz. Our dynamic focusing approach is shown to function with either monochromatic or broadband optical sources. (C) 1999 Optical So ciety of America. OCIS codes: 230.4040, 110.0110.