Optical Membrane Dynamics and Shape Control Using Electrostatic Actuators

The proposed research is motivated by the desire to control the optical fidelity of a reflective membrane surface using adaptive means consisting of a pressurized mirror configuration.  Such a system demands the understanding and coupling of four disciplines: optics, fluids, structural dynamics and structural control.   Thus it is proposed to develop physics-based models that couple these disciplines for the purpose of predicting design parameters and performance metrics for an adaptive optical system. The tolerance requirements for the fidelity of the membrane are high enough to require active methods fro control. Among them, the use of electrostatic actuators is considered in this study. These actuators provide the ability to perform dynamic control and static shape control with a non-contact approach."

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