Thin-Skin Deployable Mirrors for Remote Sensing Systems

摘要

This report summarizes an initial research effort into the development of piezoelectric thin-skin mirrors. A thin-skin piezoelectric bimorph mirror will bend in response to an applied electric field and can therefore be deformed into desirable shapes using a scanning electron gun. Recent progress is described in the key areas of experimental testbed development, mirror figure sensing methods, electron gun excitation, and shape control algorithm development. Results show that although this field of research is in its infancy, many of the technological barriers to realization of a deployable mirror are surmountable. Continued research in this field is warranted on the basis of its potential for dramatically improving the resolution and sensitivity of future space based optical systems.