Boston Micromachines Wins NASA Grant

Boston Micromachines Corp. (BMC) announced Monday that it had received a $100,000 Phase I SBIR contract from NASA to support space-based imaging research.

The Phase I project is for the development of a reliable high-resolution, fault-tolerant microelectromechanical deformable mirror (MEMS-DM) technology that will fill a gap in NASA’s road map for future coronagraphic observatories. To achieve this, BMC will implement two complementary modifications to the manufacturing process.

First, the team will develop a drive electronics approach to limit actuator electrical current density generated to prevent permanent failure when a short-time-frame, single- fault failure occurs. Secondly, team members will modify the actuator design to mitigate failure due to adhesion between contacting surfaces of the actuator flexure and fixed base.

Boston Micromachines provides advanced MEMS-based mirror products for commercial adaptive optics systems.

For more information, visit: www.bostonmicromachines.com

Perkins Precision Developments - Custom Laser Mirrors MR 4/24

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Published: March 2011

Glossary

adaptive optics: Adaptive optics (AO) is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effects of atmospheric distortions. The Earth's atmosphere can cause light passing through it to experience distortions, resulting in image blurring and degradation in various optical applications, such as astronomical observations, laser communications, and imaging systems. Adaptive optics systems actively adjust the optical elements in real-time to compensate for these distortions. Key...

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