Back to results
US 2006/0232846 A1Published application
Off-axis variable focus and aberration control mirrors and method
AssigneeMontana State University
InventorsPhillip Himmer, David Dickensheets
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical element with multi-layer composites that deforms to reduce optical aberrations in off-axis optic. Methods are also described in relation to the optical element.
Claims22
A deformable optical element comprising:
- a reflective surface that is operable to receive a light beam defining an incident beam axis, the reflective surface including a deformable member having a surface defining at least one zone movable relative to the incident beam axis;
- and
- at least one actuator coupled to the at least one zone of the reflective surface, the reflective surface operable to be oriented oblique to the incident beam axis and the at least one actuator operable to be actuated such that upon actuation of the at least one actuator, the at least one zone is operable to deform to approximate a paraboloid section and reflect the light toward a focusing plane spaced from the reflective surface.
A method comprising:
- displacing a reflective surface along an axis generally orthogonal to the reflective surface so that the reflective surface deforms into an approximation of a sectioned surface of a paraboloid;
- providing a light beam along an incident axis oblique to the reflective surface such that optical aberrations in the reflected light beam are reduced.
A method of fabricating a deformable optical element on a substrate, the method comprising:
- forming on a substrate a di-electric composite member that is operable to form a parabolic surface of curvature formed by a sectioned portion of a parabolic reflector when the composite member is energized by at least one electrically conductive material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.