Carbon fibre composite deformable mirrors: developments at UCL

Sarah Kendrew; Peter Doel; David Brooks; Andrew M. King; Chris Dorn; Richard M. Dwan; Chris Yates; Glyn Dando; Ian Richardson; Glynn Evans

doi:10.1117/12.669808

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28 June 2006 Carbon fibre composite deformable mirrors: developments at UCL

Sarah Kendrew, Peter Doel, David Brooks, Andrew M. King, Chris Dorn, Richard M. Dwan, Chris Yates, Glyn Dando, Ian Richardson, Glynn Evans

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Proceedings Volume 6272, Advances in Adaptive Optics II; 62722Q (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.669808
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2006, Orlando, Florida , United States

Abstract

Adaptive optics performance is essential for achieving the demanding science goals set for the ground-based optical telescopes of the future - the so-called extremely large telescopes (ELTs). Research into novel technologies for lightweight and robust active and adaptive mirrors is crucial for ensuring this capability. Surface quality, form, and a high level of stability during operation are very important criteria for such mirrors. In 2004 we reported initial results from a project into the design and manufacture of a prototype carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) deformable mirror. This system has now been extensively characterised and tested, and results of dynamical testing and influence function measurements are discussed here. Manual grinding and polishing resulted in a residual form error of the order of 10 μm P-V and a surface roughness of approximately 5 nm rms. A good agreement was observed between the modeling data and experimental results.

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Sarah Kendrew, Peter Doel, David Brooks, Andrew M. King, Chris Dorn, Richard M. Dwan, Chris Yates, Glyn Dando, Ian Richardson, and Glynn Evans "Carbon fibre composite deformable mirrors: developments at UCL", Proc. SPIE 6272, Advances in Adaptive Optics II, 62722Q (28 June 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.669808

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