Highly Adaptive Integrated Meniscus Primary Mirrors

摘要

Large optics for space will undergo a revolutionary change in the early 21st century. Conventional discrete manufacturing technology will be replaced by an integrated materials approach conducted on the mesoscale level. Integrated Zonal Meniscus is a revolutionary design and manufacturing approach for ultra-lightweight active mirrors that departs radically from the prevailing composite mirror designs and optical processing methods. The integration of actuators, sensors and electronics directly into a silicon carbide thin meniscus mirror substrate has decided advantages over conventional passive and active mirror configurations. The mirror is given the ability to compensate for optical wavefront errors in a configuration that reduces the overall areal density below 10 kg/m~2. Our design and manufacturing approach are scaleable to 8-meter class mirrors and beyond.