Large Scale Integrated Meniscus Mirror Technology

"The proposed Phase I SBIR will develop and demonstrate an innovative approach to making 1.3-meter mirrors having an areal density <10-kg/m2 to serve as primary mirrors for beam directors and imaging telescopes. The Large Scale Integrated Meniscus combinesthe desirable material properties of a silicon carbide substrate embedded with electroactive actuators and sensors, and application specific integrated circuits to autonomously control the figure of the mirror. The proposed project takes advantage of therecently completed 1.5-meter CERAFORM facility to produce ultra-lightweight, near-net shape mirror substrates containing integral arrays of high strain electroactive actuators. Agile optical processing will be used to produce precision aspheres usingconventional, spherical polishing methods. Combining stress mirror polishing such as that used to fabricate the Keck telescope segments with an active blocking body containing shape control actuators, agile processing enables the cost-effective productionof hundreds of mirrors at the rate of 1 per week. It is our intent during the Phase I effort, to design a 1.3-meter mirror which can serve as the building block for a 6 to 8-meter class telescope. It is our intent during the Phase II program to build the1.3-meter mirror having embedded actuators and optical finish it using agile stressed mirror polishing. Active optical structures for beam phasing of laser diode arraysActive mirrors for in