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arXiv · 1202.1566

MEMS practice, from the lab to the telescope

Katie M. Morzinski·Andrew P. Norton·Julia Wilhelmson Evans·Layra Reza·Scott A. Severson·Daren Dillon·Marc Reinig·Donald T. Gavel·Steven Cornelissen·Bruce A. Macintosh·Claire E. Max
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Abstract

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technology can provide for deformable mirrors (DMs) with excellent performance within a favorable economy of scale. Large MEMS-based astronomical adaptive optics (AO) systems such as the Gemini Planet Imager are coming on-line soon. As MEMS DM end-users, we discuss our decade of practice with the micromirrors, from inspecting and characterizing devices to evaluating their performance in the lab. We also show MEMS wavefront correction on-sky with the "Villages" AO system on a 1-m telescope, including open-loop control and visible-light imaging. Our work demonstrates the maturity of MEMS technology for astronomical adaptive optics.

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Katie M. Morzinski, Andrew P. Norton, Julia Wilhelmson Evans, Layra Reza, Scott A. Severson, Daren Dillon, Marc Reinig, Donald T. Gavel, Steven Cornelissen, Bruce A. Macintosh, Claire E. Max. 2012-02-08. MEMS practice, from the lab to the telescope. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.910964

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