Micro-mirror array simulation and far-field diffraction analysis

Developing a customized micro-mirror array (MMA) is costly and time consuming. Characterization experiments can be nearly as labor-intensive as fabrication. It is therefore desirable to have a computational simulation as a cost-effective and efficient means to conduct exploratory investigations such that appropriate parameters and optical characteristics can be obtained prior to any physical tests. In this article, we present our simulation of a novel MMA and preliminary diffraction analysis. Using geometric mapping, we created a three-dimensional visualization of the 5 × 5 MMA based on userspecified poses, which provides an interactive virtual view of the MMA geometry. A number of parameters are used to allow customizable simulation of various micro-mirror poses within the hardware limits. In addition, the far-field diffraction is simulated based on the given mirror geometry. This simulation package provides a tool for studying optical properties of MMAs, and it enables computational means to evaluate the performance of MMA as a beam steering element of Infrared Countermeasure (IRCM) systems.