Hybrid adaptive optical system for free-space optical communication

A free-space optical communication terminal comprising:

• an optical head comprising:
• a position sensitive detector configured to measure a position of a received laser beam;
• a micro-gimbaled deformable mirror configurable to modify a wavefront of the received laser beam, wherein the micro-gimbaled deformable mirror comprises:
• an outer gimbal coupled to a support structure by outer flexures;
• an inner gimbal coupled to the outer gimbal by inner flexures;
• a deformable mirror coupled to the inner gimbal;
• and
• actuators configured to rotate the outer gimbal and the inner gimbal;
• and
• a wavefront sensor configured to measure a wavefront profile of a portion of the received laser beam;
• a steering device configurable to move the optical head;
• and
• one or more controllers configured to:
• control, based on the measured position of the received laser beam, the steering device to correct aberrations within a first frequency band;
• control, based on the measured wavefront profile of the portion of the received laser beam, the micro-gimbaled deformable mirror to correct aberrations within a second frequency band, the second frequency band higher than the first frequency band;
• and
• control the micro-gimbaled deformable mirror to correct aberrations within a third frequency band, wherein a maximum frequency of the third frequency band is higher than a maximum frequency of the second frequency band.