Granted Patent B1

US 7,019,888 · App. 10/688,087 · Granted Mar 28, 2006

Abstract

Claims (60)

1. An adaptive optics system comprising:

a deformable mirror having a reflective surface and an opposing electrode surface, the electrode surface including a plurality of electrodes, the reflective surface configured to deform responsive to an electric potential on one or more of the electrodes;

an insulating layer formed on the electrode surface of the deformable mirror, the insulating layer exposing at least a portion of the electrodes; and

a plurality of conductive traces formed on the insulating layer, each conductive trace coupling an electrode to a perimeter region of the deformable mirror.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the deformable mirror comprises an electro-restrictive material that deforms responsive to an electrical field caused by an electric potential on one or more of the electrodes.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the deformable mirror comprises a piezoelectric material that deforms responsive to an electrical field caused by an electric potential on one or more of the electrodes.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each conductive trace is coupled to a bonding pad at the perimeter region of the mirror.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a protective coating covering at least a portion of the conductive traces.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the protective coating comprises a dielectric material.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the perimeter region of the mirror corresponds to an edge of the mirror.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a circuit board having plurality of conductors thereon, each of the conductors for providing an electric potential to an electrode for deforming the deformable mirror; and

a strip connector coupled between the circuit board and the deformable mirror, the strip connector including a plurality of conductors for electrically coupling the conductors on the circuit board to corresponding conductive traces on the insulating layer of the deformable mirror.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the strip connector is a zebra strip connector.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein:

each conductive trace is coupled to a bonding pad, the bonding pads of the mirror forming a generally circular pattern at the perimeter region of the mirror, and

the circuit board further includes a plurality of bonding pads coupled to the conductors on the circuit board, the bonding pads of the circuit board forming a generally circular pattern and corresponding to the bonding pads of the mirror.

11. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a retaining plate mechanically coupled to the circuit board for providing a compressive force on the strip connector between the deformable mirror and the circuit board; and

a resilient element disposed between the deformable mirror and the retaining plate for modulating the compressive force.

12. A deformable mirror for an adaptive optics system, the mirror comprising:

a reflective surface having a central region for receiving light;

an electro-restrictive material configured to deform responsive to an electric potential, wherein a deformation of the electro-restrictive material causes the reflective surface to deform;

a plurality of electrodes coupled to the electro-restrictive material, each electrode for providing an electrical potential to a portion of the electro-restrictive material; and

a plurality of conductive traces, each conductive trace electrically coupling an electrode to a perimeter region of the deformable mirror, at least a portion of some of the conductive traces shielded from the electro-restrictive material by the electrodes.

13. The deformable mirror of claim 12 , wherein the perimeter region of the deformable mirror corresponds to a physical edge of the deformable mirror.

14. The deformable mirror of claim 12 , wherein the perimeter region of the deformable mirror corresponds to a region of the deformable mirror that does not substantially deform.

15. The deformable mirror of claim 12 , wherein the perimeter region of the deformable mirror is an area of the deformable mirror outside the placement of the electrodes.

16. The deformable mirror of claim 12 , further comprising:

an insulating layer over the electrodes and exposing at least a portion of each electrode, wherein each electrical conductor is a conductive trace formed on the insulating layer.

17. The deformable mirror of claim 16 , wherein each conductive trace leads to a bonding pad in perimeter region of the deformable mirror.

18. A method of manufacturing a deformable mirror for an adaptive optics system, the method comprising:

providing a deformable mirror having a reflective surface on a front surface of the deformable mirror;

forming an electrode surface on a back surface of the deformable mirror, the electrode surface including a plurality of electrodes, the reflective surface configured to deform responsive to an electric potential on one or more of the electrodes;

forming an insulating layer on the electrode surface of the deformable mirror, the insulating layer exposing at least a portion of the electrodes; and

forming a plurality of conductive traces on the insulating layer, each conductive trace coupling an electrode to a perimeter region of the deformable mirror.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein:

forming the electrode surface comprises:

masking an electrode pattern on a back surface of the deformable mirror, the electrode pattern defining a plurality of electrode segments;

depositing a conductive layer on the back surface to form the plurality of electrode segments;

forming the insulating layer on the electrode surface comprises:

masking an insulator pattern over the electrode segments, the insulator pattern exposing at least a portion of each electrode segment;

depositing an insulating material over the electrode segments according to the insulator pattern; and

forming the conductive traces on the insulating layer comprises:

masking a trace pattern for defining a plurality of connections, each connection from an exposed location of an electrode segment to a location in a perimeter region of the deformable mirror;

depositing conductive material to form a plurality of conductive traces according to the trace pattern.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the insulator pattern includes at least one hole for each electrode segment, the hole for exposing the electrode segment.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the trace pattern further defines a bonding pad in a perimeter region of the deformable mirror for each conductive trace.

22. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

applying a protective coating over at least a portion of the conductive traces.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein protective coating comprises a dielectric material.

24. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

electrically coupling the deformable mirror to a circuit board so that each of the conductive traces on the mirror is coupled to a corresponding conductor on the circuit board, the circuit board for providing electrical potential to the conductive traces.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the deformable mirror is coupled to the circuit board using a strip connector.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the strip connector is a zebra strip connector.

27. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:

securing the deformable mirror in electrical connection with the circuit board with a retaining plate, the retaining plate providing a compressive force between the deformable mirror and the circuit board.

28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising:

disposing a resilient element between the deformable mirror and the retaining plate for modulating the compressive force.

Assignments (7)