Communication Applications for Deformable Mirror Devices.

Abstract : This report reviews a technical effort that accomplished computer simulations and experimental demonstrations of piston-type micromirror arrays for laser beam steering, shaping, and aberration correction. especially simulations and demonstrations with possible relevance for communication applications. The effort successfully investigated the use of micromirror arrays for laser beam manipulations and illustrated both their potential advantages in terms of small size, high ruggedness and low cost and their potential limitations in terms of small beam steering range and, in particular low optical efficiency due to inactive inter-micromirror space, lack of tilt control, and diffraction into undesired orders. The report concludes that micromirror arrays could be useful in applications where high optical efficiency is not a priority; otherwise continuous mirrors with micromechanical actuation are likely to provide the best fine beam steering and beam shaping or aberration correction performance while retaining the potential advantages of small size, high ruggedness. and low cost.