Electrostatic-Pneumatic Membrane Mirror With Positive or Negative Variable Optical Power

A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) deformable mirror is described that uses a novel actuation scheme to increase the optical focus range. In this method, electrostatic-pneumatic actuation is used to achieve a convex surface curvature of the mirror with negative focus, while direct electrostatic actuation creates a concave surface with positive focus. Mirrors have demonstrated 20-
$\mu $
m total stroke with more than 2-kHz bandwidth. The fabricated device consists of two membranes made of the photoset epoxy SU-8. One membrane serves as the deformable mirror and the other one as the pneumatic actuator. The pneumatic membrane also provides a built-in valve for pressure equalization. The principle of operation, fabrication process, and results are presented. [2014-0135]