# US 12,181,660 B2 · Actively deformable metamirror > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,660 B2 - Document ID: US12181660B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/094,940 - Filed: 2020-11-11 - Published: 2022-05-12 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-11 - Assignees: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation - Applicants: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation - Inventors: Donald Di Marzio; Stephane Larouche; Vesna Radisic; Michael R. Hachkowski; Jeffrey L. Cavaco; Michael Wojtowicz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181660B2 ## CPC - G02B 26/0858: {the reflecting means being moved or deformed by piezoelectric means} - G02B 1/002: {made of materials engineered to provide properties not available in nature, e.g. metamaterials} - G02B 5/09: Multifaceted or polygonal mirrors {, e.g. polygonal scanning mirrors; Fresnel mirrors} - G02B 23/06: having a focussing action, e.g. parabolic mirror - G02B 26/0825: {the reflecting element being a flexible sheet or membrane, e.g. for varying the focus (flexible mirrors for cosmetic use A45D42/24)} - G02B 2207/101: Nanooptics - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An optical assembly including a plurality of metamirrors, where each metamirror includes a substrate, a reflective layer formed to the substrate, an array of optical metaelements extending from the reflective layer and an array of micro-actuators coupled to the substrate opposite to the reflective layer. The combination of the micro-actuators are controlled to control the orientation and bending of the metamirrors to set how the metaelements focus a light beam that is reflected off of the reflective layers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical assembly comprising: a plurality of metamirrors each including a substrate, a reflective layer formed to one side of the substrate, where the reflective layer is a separate layer from the substrate, an array of optical metaelements formed to a side of the reflective layer opposite to the substrate and an array of micro-actuators coupled to a side of the substrate opposite to the reflective layer, wherein the metaelements in all of the metamirrors combine to focus a light beam that is reflected off of the reflective layers to a common focal point; and a controller for controlling the micro-actuators to bend the reflective layers and control the focusing effect of the metaelements. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical assembly according to claim 1 wherein each of the metamirrors includes a plurality of sub-metamirrors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical assembly according to claim 1 wherein the controller changes the length of the micro-actuators to bend the reflective layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The optical assembly according to claim 3 wherein the micro-actuators are piezoelectric elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the reflective layers of the metamirrors are pre-tilted relative to each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical assembly according to claim 1 wherein the optical assembly is configured to be part of a telescope. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical assembly according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of metamirrors are arranged together in a tiled manner. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The optical assembly according to claim 7 wherein the metamirrors have a hexagonal shape. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical assembly according to claim 1 wherein the reflective layer is a metalized layer. ### Claim 10 An optical assembly comprising a plurality of metamirrors, where each metamirror includes a substrate, a reflective layer formed to the substrate, where the reflective layer is a separate layer from the substrate, an array of optical metaelements extending from the reflective layer and an actuator assembly having an array of micro-actuators coupled to the substrate opposite to the reflective layer, said micro-actuators being controlled to control the orientation and bending of the metamirrors to control how a combination of the metaelements focus a light beam that is reflected off of the reflective layers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The optical assembly according to claim 10 wherein the micro-actuators are piezoelectric elements. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The optical assembly according to claim 10 wherein at least some of the substrates of the metamirrors are pre-tilted relative to each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The optical assembly according to claim 10 wherein the plurality of metamirrors are arranged together in a tiled manner. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The optical assembly according to claim 13 wherein the metamirrors have a hexagonal shape. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The optical assembly according to claim 10 wherein the optical assembly is configured to be part of a telescope. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The optical assembly according to claim 10 wherein the reflective layer is a metalized layer. ### Claim 17 A metamirror comprising a substrate, a reflective layer formed to one side of the substrate, where the reflective layer is a separate layer from the substrate, an array of optical metaelements formed to a side of the reflective layer opposite to the substrate and an actuator coupled to a side of the substrate opposite to the reflective layer, said metaelements combining to focus a light beam that is reflected off of the reflective layer to a focal point and said actuator being controlled to control the orientation and bending of the metamirror to control how the metaelements focus the light beam. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The metamirror according to claim 17 wherein the actuator includes an array of micro-actuators, where the length of the micro-actuators is controlled to bend the reflective layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The metamirror according to claim 18 wherein the micro-actuators are piezoelectric elements. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The metamirror according to claim 17 wherein the reflective layer is a metalized layer.