# US 12,216,269 B2 · Deformable mirror with magnetically receptive ferrous backing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,269 B2 - Document ID: US12216269B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/373,658 - Filed: 2021-07-12 - Published: 2023-01-12 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-07-12 - Assignees: Raytheon Company - Applicants: Raytheon Company - Inventors: Stephen T. Fasolino; Peter Chung; Alexander McCown; Brett A. Miller; Jesse Dearden - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216269B2 ## CPC - 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: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A deformable mirror, comprising: a mirror assembly comprising (i) a reflective face sheet having a reflective surface on a front side of the reflective face sheet and (ii) one or more ferrous materials selectively positioned within the mirror assembly, wherein the reflective face sheet has a non-uniform thickness between the front side of the reflective face sheet and a back side of the reflective face sheet opposite the front side; and one or more electromagnets configured to generate a magnetic field that acts on the one or more ferrous materials to deform the reflective face sheet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein the non-uniform thickness of the reflective face sheet is defined by an asymmetrical relationship with an outer shape of a perimeter of the reflective face sheet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The deformable mirror of claim 1, further comprising: a base configured to support the mirror assembly and the one or more electromagnets. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The deformable mirror of claim 3, wherein the base comprises one or more mounting features configured to mount the one or more electromagnets to the base. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein the one or more electromagnets are positioned relative to the back side of the reflective face sheet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein the one or more electromagnets comprise a plurality of electromagnets. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein: the mirror assembly further comprises a compliant ferrous backing attached to the back side of the reflective face sheet; and the one or more ferrous materials comprise ferrous particles embedded into the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The deformable mirror of claim 7, wherein the ferrous particles are distributed non-uniformly throughout the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The deformable mirror of claim 7, wherein the compliant ferrous backing comprises a first portion having a higher concentration of the ferrous particles than a second portion of the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The deformable mirror of claim 9, wherein: the first portion is one of a plurality of first portions of the compliant ferrous backing; the second portion is one of a plurality of second portions of the compliant ferrous backing; and the first and second portions form a pattern in the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The deformable mirror of claim 10, wherein the pattern in the compliant ferrous backing comprises an array of polygon shapes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein the non-uniform thickness of the reflective face sheet is defined by a pattern formed in the back side of the reflective face sheet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The deformable mirror of claim 12, wherein the pattern formed in the back side of the reflective face sheet comprises an array of polygon shapes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The deformable mirror of claim 12, 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 comprise ferrous particles embedded into the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The deformable mirror of claim 1, wherein; the mirror assembly further comprises a ferrous metallic backing positioned adjacent to the back side of the reflective face sheet; and the ferrous metallic backing comprises at least one ferrous material of the one or more ferrous materials. ### Claim 16 A deformable mirror system, comprising: a deformable mirror comprising: a mirror assembly comprising (i) a reflective face sheet having a reflective surface on a front side of the reflective face sheet and (ii) one or more ferrous materials selectively positioned within the mirror assembly, wherein the reflective face sheet has a non-uniform thickness between the front side of the reflective face sheet and a back side of the reflective face sheet opposite the front side; and one or more electromagnets configured to generate a magnetic field that acts on the one or more ferrous materials to deform the reflective face sheet; and a control system operably coupled to the one or more electromagnets and configured to control the magnetic field to deform the reflective face sheet. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The deformable mirror system of claim 16, wherein: the mirror assembly further comprises a compliant ferrous backing attached to the back side of the reflective face sheet; and the one or more ferrous materials comprise ferrous particles embedded into the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The deformable mirror system of claim 17, wherein the ferrous particles are distributed non-uniformly throughout the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The deformable mirror system of claim 17, wherein the compliant ferrous backing comprises a first portion having a higher concentration of the ferrous particles than a second portion of the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The deformable mirror system of claim 19, wherein: the first portion is one of a plurality of first portions of the compliant ferrous backing; the second portion is one of a plurality of second portions of the compliant ferrous backing; and the first and second portions form a pattern in the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The deformable mirror system of claim 20, wherein the pattern in the compliant ferrous backing comprises an array of polygon shapes. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The deformable mirror system of claim 16, wherein the non-uniform thickness of the reflective face sheet is defined by an asymmetrical relationship with an outer shape of a perimeter of the reflective face sheet. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The deformable mirror system of claim 16, wherein the non-uniform thickness of the reflective face sheet is defined by a pattern formed in the back side of the reflective face sheet. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The deformable mirror system of claim 23, wherein the pattern formed in the back side of the reflective face sheet comprises an array of polygon shapes. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The deformable mirror system of claim 23, 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 comprise ferrous particles embedded into the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The deformable mirror system of claim 16, wherein: the mirror assembly further comprises a ferrous metallic backing positioned adjacent to the back side of the reflective face sheet; and the ferrous metallic backing comprising at least one ferrous material of the one or more ferrous materials. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The deformable mirror system of claim 16, wherein the mirror assembly further comprises a base configured to support the mirror assembly and the one or more electromagnets. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The deformable mirror system of claim 27, wherein the base comprises mounting features configured to mount the one or more electromagnets to the base. ### Claim 29 A method for facilitating active shape control of a mirror, comprising: obtaining a mirror assembly comprising a reflective face sheet having a reflective surface on a front side of the reflective face sheet, wherein the reflective face sheet has a non-uniform thickness between the front side of the reflective face sheet and a back side of the reflective face sheet opposite the front side; selectively positioning one or more ferrous materials within at least a portion of the mirror assembly; and disposing one or more electromagnets about the mirror assembly, the one or more electromagnets configured to generate a magnetic field that acts on the one or more ferrous materials to deform the reflective face sheet. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further comprising: adhering a compliant ferrous backing onto the back side of the reflective face sheet; wherein the one or more ferrous materials comprise ferrous particles embedded into the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the ferrous particles are distributed non-uniformly throughout the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the compliant ferrous backing comprises a first portion having a higher concentration of the ferrous particles than a second portion of the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The deformable mirror system method of claim 32, wherein: the first portion is one of a plurality of first portions of the compliant ferrous backing; the second portion is one of a plurality of second portions of the compliant ferrous backing; and the first and second portions form a pattern in the compliant ferrous backing. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, wherein the pattern in the compliant ferrous backing comprises an array of polygon shapes. ### Claim 35 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further comprising: positioning a ferrous metallic backing adjacent to the back side of the reflective face sheet; wherein the ferrous metallic backing comprises at least one ferrous material of the one or more ferrous materials. ### Claim 36 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the non-uniform thickness of the reflective face sheet is defined by an asymmetrical relationship with an outer shape of a perimeter of the reflective face sheet. ### Claim 37 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further comprising: supporting the mirror assembly and the one or more electromagnets using a base. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, further comprising: mounting the one or more electromagnets to the base using one or more mounting features.