Deformable Mirror with Magnetically Receptive Ferrous Backing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023011487-A1
Application number	US-202117373658-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 12, 2021
Priority date	Jul 12, 2021
Publication date	Jan 12, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A deformable mirror is provided that can include a mirror assembly having a reflective face sheet with a reflective surface on a front side of the reflective face sheet. The mirror assembly can also comprise one or more ferrous materials positioned within and making up or forming, in part, the mirror assembly. The deformable mirror can also include one or more electromagnets operable to generate a magnetic field that acts on the ferrous materials to deform the reflective face sheet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A deformable mirror, comprising:
a mirror assembly comprising a reflective face sheet having a reflective surface on a front side of the reflective face sheet, and comprising one or more ferrous materials selectively positioned within the mirror assembly; and one or more electromagnets operable to generate a magnetic field that acts on the ferrous particles to deform the reflective face sheet.

2 . The deformable mirror of claim 1 , wherein the reflective face sheet has a non-uniform thickness between the front side of the reflective face sheet and a back side that is opposite the front side to provide stiffness for the reflective face sheet.

3 . The deformable mirror of claim 2 , wherein the non-uniform thickness of the reflective face sheet is defined by a pattern formed in the back side.

4 . The deformable mirror of claim 3 , wherein the pattern comprises an array of polygon shapes.

5 . The deformable mirror of claim 1 , further comprising a base in support of the mirror assembly and the one or more electromagnets.

6 . The deformable mirror of claim 5 , wherein the base comprises mounting features for mounting the one or more electromagnets to the base.

7 . The deformable mirror of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electromagnets are positioned relative to a back side of the reflective face sheet opposite the front side.

8 . The deformable mirror of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electromagnets comprise a plurality of electromagnets.

9 . The deformable mirror of claim 1 , wherein the mirror assembly further comprises a compliant ferrous backing attached to a back side of the reflective face sheet opposite the front side, and wherein the ferrous material comprises ferrous particles embedded into the compliant ferrous backing.

10 . The deformable mirror of claim 9 , wherein the ferrous particles are distributed non-uniformly throughout the compliant ferrous backing.

11 . The deformable mirror of claim 9 , wherein the compliant ferrous backing comprises a relatively high ferrous particle concentration portion having a relatively higher concentration of the ferrous particles and a relatively low ferrous particle concentration portion having a relatively lower concentration of the ferrous particles.

12 . The deformable mirror of claim 11 , wherein the high ferrous particle concentration portion is part of a plurality of high ferrous particle concentration portions, and the low ferrous particle concentration portion is part of a plurality of low ferrous particle concentration portions, the plurality of high and low ferrous particle portions forming a pattern in the compliant ferrous backing.

13 . The deformable mirror of claim 12 , wherein the pattern comprises an array of polygon shapes.

14 . The deformable mirror of claim 1 , wherein the reflective face sheet comprises a uniform thickness from the front side to the back side.

15 . The deformable mirror of claim 1 , wherein the reflective face sheet has a non-uniform thickness between the front side of the reflective face sheet and a back side that is opposite the front side to provide stiffness for the reflective face sheet.

16 . The deformable mirror of claim 15 , wherein the non-uniform thickness of the reflective face sheet is defined by a pattern formed in the back side.

17 . The deformable mirror of claim 16 , wherein the pattern comprises an array of polygon shapes.

18 . The deformable mirror of claim 16 , further comprising a compliant ferrous backing molded to fit within the pattern formed in the back side of the reflective face sheet, wherein the ferrous material comprises ferrous particles embedded into the compliant ferrous backing.

19 . The deformable mirror of claim 1 , wherein the mirror assembly further comprises a thin ferrous metallic backing positioned adjacent to a back side of the reflective face sheet opposite the front side, the thin ferrous metallic backing comprising a ferrous material of the one or more ferrous materials.

20 . A deformable mirror system, comprising
a deformable mirror comprising:
a mirror assembly comprising a reflective face sheet and one or more ferrous materials selectively positioned within the mirror assembly;
one or more electromagnets operable to generate a magnetic field that acts on the ferrous particles to deform the reflective face sheet; and
a control system operably coupled to the one or more electromagnets to control the magnetic field, and thereby a deformation of the reflective face sheet.

21 . The deformable mirror system of claim 20 , wherein the mirror assembly further comprises a compliant ferrous backing attached to a back side of the reflective face sheet opposite the front side, and wherein the one or more ferrous materials comprises ferrous particles embedded into the compliant ferrous backing.

22 . The deformable mirror system of claim 21 , wherein the ferrous particles are distributed non-uniformly throughout the compliant ferrous backing.

23 . The deformable mirror system of claim 21 , wherein the compliant ferrous backing comprises a relatively high ferrous particle concentration portion having a relatively higher concentration of the ferrous particles and a relatively low ferrous particle concentration portion having a relatively lower concentration of the ferrous particles.

24 . The deformable mirror system of claim 23 , wherein the high ferrous particle concentration portion is part of a plurality of high ferrous particle concentration portions, and the low ferrous particle concentration portion is part of a plurality of low ferrous particle concentration portions, the plurality of high and low ferrous particle portions forming a pattern in the compliant ferrous backing.

25 . The deformable mirror system of claim 24 , wherein the pattern comprises an array of polygon shapes.

26 . The deformable mirror system of claim 20 , wherein the reflective face sheet comprises a uniform thickness from the front side to the back side.

27 . The deformable mirror system of claim 20 , wherein the reflective face sheet has a non-uniform thickness between the front side of the reflective face sheet and a back side that is opposite the front side to provide stiffness for the reflective face sheet.

28 . The deformable mirror system of claim 27 , wherein the non-uniform thickness of the reflective face sheet is defined by a pattern formed in the back side.

29 . The deformable mirror system of claim 27 , wherein the pattern comprises an array of polygon shapes.

30 . The deformable mirror system of claim 27 , further comprising a compliant ferrous backing molded to fit within the pattern formed in the back side of the reflective face sheet, wherein the one or more ferrous materials comprises ferrous particles embedded into the compliant ferrous backing.

31 . The deformable mirror system of claim 20 , wherein the mirror assembly further comprises a thin ferrous metallic backing positioned adjacent to a back side of the reflective face sheet opposite the front side, the thin ferrous metallic backing comprising a ferrous material of the one or more ferrous materials.

32 . A method for facilitating active shape control of a mirror, comprising:
obtaining a mirror assembly comprising a reflective face

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Fasolino Stephen T
• Chung Peter
• Mccown Alexander
• Miller Brett A
• Dearden Jesse

Classifications

• G02B26/0825 Primary

  the reflecting element being a flexible sheet or membrane, e.g. for varying the focus (flexible mirrors for cosmetic use A45D42/24) · CPC title